ABSTRACT
Isotretinoin (Iso) is used for the treatment of severe acne, and seronegative sacroiliitis is a rare side effect of this therapy. We present the case of a woman with unilateral sacroiliitis that began during Iso therapy. She had a family history of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and human leukocyte antigen-B27 (HLA-B27) positivity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated acute inflammatory changes in the left sacroiliac joint. The Iso therapy was withdrawn, and after four more weeks, she was symptom-free. One year later, the inflammatory features of sacroiliitis were still preserved. We believe that Iso treatment may have induced or accelerated the emergence of sacroiliitis in patients with HLA-B27 positivity and family history of spondiloarthropathy. Patients should be questioned about their personal and family histories of spondyloarhropathy before being treated with Iso for acne, and alternative treatment modalities should be considered.
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