Isotretinoin-Induced Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Is There a Real Association?

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder that affects the gastrointestinal system with an annual increase in incidence and prevalence worldwide. While the precise cause behind IBD remains obscured, certain genetic susceptibilities, in addition to environmental factors, may trigger the stimulation of the immunoinflammatory system against the gastrointestinal system, eventually resulting in IBD. Furthermore, certain medications have been proposed to increase the risk of developing IBD, such as isotretinoin. IBD has been reported during the post-marketing phase of isotretinoin. Subsequently, IBD development was added as a potential gastrointestinal adverse effect of isotretinoin. This review article aims to evaluate the possible association between isotretinoin exposure and the development of inflammatory bowel disease. We enrolled 32 relevant studies, including case reports, case-control, and cohort studies. The results were critically analyzed and reviewed by independent authors to answer the research question and achieve the primary endpoint.