13-CIS-RETINOIC ACID AND BONE-DENSITY

Background. 13-Cis-retinoic acid has an influence on bone in patients on long-term treatment as well as on short-term treatment. The presence of skeletal abnormalities after the treatment was established by roentgenologic and scintigraphic examinations. We wanted to know whether a B-month course of low-dose 13-cis-retinoic acid has a clinically important influence on bone density in men with severe acne. Methods. We examined 15 men with severe acne before and after treatment with 13-cis-retinoic acid by dual-photon absorptiometry of the lumbar spine. Results. The mean increase in bone density was 3.0% (95% confidence interval 1.3-4.5), which is normal for the period from puberty to late twenties. Bone density increased in 13 of our 15 patients. Conclusions. As shown by this highly sensitive modern densitometric method, 13-cis-retinoic acid has no clinically important influence on bone density in male patients with severe acne.