Patients with acne vulgaris have frequented even during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the effect of isotretinoin, a commonly used drug for treating acne, on COVID-19 has not been studied before.

A study thus evaluated if patients receiving oral isotretinoin for acne vulgaris are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection by contrasting them with patients on topical treatment.

It was a retrospective study that investigated 267 acne vulgaris patients, who were under follow-up during the pandemic period.

The observations of the study were as follows-

• 227 patients were included in the study among which 29 had COVID-19 infection during acne vulgaris treatment.
• Among 227, 141 received isotretinoin treatment and 86 received topical treatment
• Among 29 COVID-19 infected patients, 10.6% received oral isotretinoin and 16.3% received topical acne treatment.
• The mean cumulative dose at the time of COVID-19 infection was found to be 2340 ± 1988 mg.
• 13.3 ± 10.3 weeks was found to be the mean elapsed time between the onset of isotretinoin treatment and positive PCR result for COVID-19.
• Loss of taste and smell during COVID-19 infection was reported in 64.3% of patients receiving isotretinoin treatment and 60% of patients under topical treatment.
• Isotretinoin treatment was not significantly associated with an increased risk of getting COVID-19

Thus this study aids dermatologists to initiate oral isotretinoin treatment safely in acne vulgaris patients during COVID-19.

Source: Öğüt ND, Kutlu O, Erbağcı E. Oral isotretinoin treatment in patients with acne vulgaris during the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective cohort study in a tertiary care hospital, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, July 2021;20(7): 1969-1974. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.14168