The effects of oral isotretinoin on sex hormones and menstrual cycle in women with severe acne

Acne vulgaris is a common skin disease and oral isotretinoin is the only treatment that is dramatically effective on its severe type The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of oral Isotretinoin on the level of sex hormones and menstrual cycle in female patients with severe acne.
In this before and after treatment study, 50 patients with severe acne vulgaris whom were referred to the dermatology clinic of Amir-Almomenin Hospital in Tehran in 2015 and 2016, were recruited. The inclusion criteria were female gender, age between 18 to 50 years, and having severe acne. Exclusion criteria were: pregnancy, lactating, and suffering from other diseases which could confound the study results. The prescribed dose of the oral isotretinoin was 0.5 mg/kg/day for three months. Before initiation of treatment and after three months of treatment serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, and total and free testosterone were measured and compared.
The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age of the patients was 26.0 ± 7.1 years, and 10% of them had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOs). After taking isotretinoin, 33 (66%) of patients had no change in their menstrual periods, while 3 (6%) had oligomenorrhea, 4 (8%) had amenorrhea, and 10 (20%) had dysmenorrhea. After treatment, mean serum LH levels significantly increased (P=0.001), but FSH, estradiol, and total and free testosterone serum levels did not change statistically (P>0.05).
This study showed that oral isotretinoin can increase the level of serum LH and cause changes in menstrual cycles.