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Effects of oral isotretinoin on human auditory brainstem response
G Nikiforidis1, D Tsambaos, D Karamitsos
1Department of Medical Physics, University of Patras, Greece.
Background:
Accumulating evidence suggests that synthetic retinoids may be capable of affecting the differentiation and growth of nervous tissue in vivo and in vitro. On the other hand, adverse reactions concomitant with brainstem involvement definitely or probably related to oral retinoid therapy have been reported in a small number of patients.
Objective:
The purpose of the present study was to substantiate the possible effects of oral isotretinoin on the synaptic activity and propagation of action potentials along the nerve fibers.
Methods:
The auditory brainstem response of 33 patients with severe nodulocystic acne before and 3 weeks after the onset of oral isotretinoin administration was investigated using auditory evoked potentials.
Results:
The paired analysis of the response variables before and after treatment failed to reveal any statistically significant differences. However, a marked increase in latencies and interpeak latencies and a decrease in amplitudes for both ears were found in 3 patients after therapy.
Conclusions:
It seems reasonable to suggest that these subclinical changes may be due to an isotretinoin-induced synaptic malfunction or to a conduction defect in the auditory nerve fibers.