ABSTRACT
Background: Isotretinoin is widely used in the treatment of acne. Aims: We investigated the effects of isotretinoin on thyroid function tests and thyroid volume in acne patients. Methods: In this prospective study, a total of 104 acne patients were included. Sixty-six patients were treated with isotretinoin for at least 4 months. Thirty eight patients were included in the control group. The levels of thyroid stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, antithyroglobulin and antithyroid peroxidase antibodies were measured and a thyroid ultrasound was performed in all the subjects before treatment and 4 months after treatment. A “p” value of < 0.05 was considered signifi cant. Results: In the isotretinoin-treated group, thyroid stimulating hormone levels increased significantly during isotretinoin treatment (P = 0.018). Free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, anti-thyroid peroxidase levels and thyroid volume decreased signifi cantly during treatment (P = 0.016, P = 0.012, P = 0.006, P = 0.020 respectively). Limitations: The major limitation of this study is the lack of follow-up data after the cessation of isotretinoin therapy in acne patients. Conclusion: Patients treated with isotretinoin should be monitored with thyroid function tests.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of soybean extracts obtained using different extraction methods on the skin of female rats. METHOD: A total of 64 female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 8 equal groups. Various extracts were administered to the female rats by oral gavage for one month. The groups comprised carboxymethyl cellulose-free control, carboxymethyl cellulose-plus control, 100-mg/kg n-hexane extract, 200-mg/kg n-hexane extract, 100-mg/kg ethyl acetate extract, 200-mg/kg ethyl acetate extract, 100-mg/kg ethanol extract and 200-mg/kg ethanol extract groups. The thickness of the collagen layer and the number of estrogen receptor-positive cells were evaluated. RESULTS: All the extract-treated groups showed a statistically significant decrease in the number of estrogen receptor-positive cells compared with the control groups. Regarding the thickness of the collagen layer, only the 200-mg/kg ethyl acetate extract-treated group showed a significant increase compared with the control groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that oral intake of three different total soybean extracts might have positive estrogenic effects on the skin and that only a high-dose ethyl acetate extract can increase the expression of collagen, which may prove to be beneficial for postmenopausal facial skin. ...