• All News
• Consumer
• Pro
• New Drugs
• Pipeline
• Clinical Trials
• FDA Alerts

No Increased Suicide Risk Observed for Isotretinoin Users

Medically reviewed by Melisa Puckey, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 5, 2023.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Dec. 4, 2023 -- Isotretinoin users do not have an increased risk for suicide or psychiatric disorders and may have a lower risk for suicide attempts, according to a review published online Nov. 29 in JAMA Dermatology.

Nicole Kye Wen Tan, from the National University of Singapore School of Medicine, and colleagues clarified the absolute and relative risks and risk factors associated with suicide and psychiatric disorders among isotretinoin users in a systematic review of randomized trials and observational studies. Twenty-five studies, with 1,625,891 participants, were included in the review; the meta-analysis included 24 studies.

The researchers found that the one-year pooled absolute risk of completed suicide, suicide attempt, suicide ideation, and self-harm were each less than 0.5 percent in two to eight studies, while that of depression was 3.83 percent in 11 studies. The likelihood of attempting suicide at two, three, and four years following treatment was lower among isotretinoin users versus nonusers (risk ratios [95 percent confidence intervals], 0.92 [0.84 to 1.00], 0.86 [0.77 to 0.95], and 0.85 [0.72 to 1.00], respectively). No association was seen for isotretinoin with the risk for all psychiatric disorders. Studies with participants of older age showed a lower one-year absolute risk for depression, while a higher one-year absolute risk for completed suicide was seen in studies with a higher percentage of male participants.

"While our findings are reassuring, clinicians should continue to practice holistic psychodermatologic care and monitor patients for signs of mental distress during isotretinoin treatment," the authors write.

One author disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical companies.

Abstract/Full Text

Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted December 2023

More news resources

• FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
• Daily MedNews
• News for Health Professionals
• New Drug Approvals
• New Drug Applications
• Drug Shortages
• Clinical Trial Results
• Generic Drug Approvals

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.