Effects of isotretinoin on serum vitamin E levels in patients with acne.

Anecdotal reports suggest that using retinoids with vitamin E leads to improvements of some side effects due to isotretinoin. However, vitamin E blood levels have not been reported previously in patients with acne treated with isotretinoin. We aimed to investigate the serum vitamin E levels before and after isotretinoin therapy in patients with acne. A total of 70 patients treated with isotretinoin for acne in our dermatology department were included in this study. The serum vitamin E levels were measured as baseline before isotretinoin treatment. All patients received 0.6-0.8 mg/kg/d isotretinoin. The treatment was finished within 5-7 months while ensuring that the cumulative dose was 120 mg/kg. Serum vitamin E levels were measured again in the last month of treatment. The mean serum vitamin E levels before and after treatment were compared. Forty-six patients completed the study. It was detected that the mean serum vitamin E level was 20.22 mg/dl before isotretinoin treatment. In the last month of treatment, the mean serum vitamin E level was 16.24 mg/dl. Serum vitamin E levels decreased in all patients except three. The mean serum vitamin E level after treatment was statistically decreased in comparison with the mean serum vitamin E level before treatment. Our results showed that vitamin E levels decreased during isotretinoin treatment. We considered that some of the side effects due to isotretinoin treatment might be related to this, and supplementation vitamin E may be useful during isotretinoin treatment.

Comparison of effects of 5 and 10 mg oral desloratadine and levocetirizine on histamine-induced wheal and flare response in healthy volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Levocetirizine and desloratadine are mostly used as H1-antihistamines in the treatment of allergic disease in 5 and 10 mg doses. OBJECTIVE: In this study, the efficacy of single oral dosages of 5 and 10 mg desloratadine and levocetirizine were compared by using histamine-induced wheal and flare reactions. METHODS: Eighty healthy volunteers were randomized for four double-blinded treatment with desloratadine 5 and 10 mg and levocetirizine 5 and 10 mg. Wheal and flare responses were produced by histamine. Measurements were performed just before the ingestion of antihistamines (baseline) and afterward at 30, 60, 240 min and 24 h. The values obtained for each antihistamine were compared with baseline values. RESULTS: It was found that except the flare reactions at 30th min, levocetirizine 5 and 10 mg suppressed histamine-induced wheal and flare reactions more than desloratadine 5 and 10 mg did. There were not any significant differences between desloratadine 5 and 10 mg in all periods. Levocetirizine 10 mg suppressed wheal and flare reactions significantly more than levocetirizine 5 mg only at 24th h. CONCLUSION: In this study, it was observed that levocetirizine 5 and 10 mg had a higher activity than desloratadine 5 and 10 mg.