Fracture risk not associated with vitamin A analogue treatment

January 01, 0001

Fracture risk not associated with vitamin A analogue treatment

The aim of this case-control study was to study fracture risk associated with use of systemic vitamin A analogue (isotretinoin and acitretin) treatment involving a total of 124,655 patients with fractures (cases) and 373,962 age- and sex-matched controls.

No trend in risk of any fracture or of hip, forearm, or spine fractures was present with increasing doses or durations of treatment with vitamin A analogues. Subdividing vitamin A analogues into isotretinoin and acitretin did not change the results.

The researchers concluded: "Risk of fracture is not associated with vitamin A analogue treatment."

This is reassuring, but may require longer term follow up.


For the full abstract, click here.

Arch Dermatol 146(5):478-482, May 2010 © 2010 American Medical Association
High-Dose Treatment With Vitamin A Analogues and Risk of Fractures. Peter Vestergaard, Lars Rejnmark and Leif Mosekilde.

Category: M. Musculoskeletal, S. Skin. Keywords: fracture, risk, vitamin A, analogues, case control study, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Stephen Wilkinson, Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 11 June 2010

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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