Vitamin D levels in acne vulgaris patients treated with oral isotretinoin.

Abstract

Acne vulgaris is a common inflammatory skin disease. Vitamin D deficiency plays a role in many inflammatory skin diseases. It may play a role in pathogenesis of acne vulgaris. This study aimed to assess serum levels of 25 hydroxy vitamin D in patients with acne vulgaris before and after treatment with isotretinoin and its relation with acne vulgaris severity. Ninety patients with acne vulgaris and 60 age-sex matched healthy subject as controls have been recruited in this study. Patients were treated with 0.75mg/kg/d isotretinoin for 3months. Serum level of 25 hydroxy vitamin D has been measured at baseline and after treatment. Serum levels of 25 hydroxy vitamin D were significantly higher in patients with acne vulgaris than healthy controls (P=.001). There was a significant inverse relation between level of 25 hydroxy vitamin D and severity of acne vulgaris before treatment (P=.001). Serum levels of 25 hydroxy vitamin D were significantly increased after isotretinoin treatment in patients with acne vulgaris (P=.001). This study concluded that vitamin D may play a potential role in pathogenesis of acne vulgaris or acne vulgaris may have a negative effect on vitamin D synthesis. Further studies are needed to confirm these potential relations.