Clinical Toxicity of Retinoids

The document discussed the clinical toxicity of retinoids, highlighting that variations in their efficacy and toxicity were partly due to differences in pharmacokinetics. Retinoids were used in treating dermatologic, preneoplastic, and neoplastic diseases, with the selection of a compound based on its toxicity spectrum and study type. Reports of retinoid toxicity were common in dermatologic literature, particularly concerning acne treatment. Acute toxicity often involved skin and adnexa, with diffuse hair loss occurring in 10 to 75% of users of etretinate, acitretin, and isotretinoin. The toxicity mechanism was linked to vitamin A's effect on increasing the lability of biological membranes and its membranolytic properties.