Retinoid (ATRA)
Tretinoin (Specialist drug)
Brand names: Vesanoid
Adult dose
Dose: Specialist initiation only — refer to BNF/SmPC
Route: PO
Frequency: divided
Clinical pearls
- Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL t(15;17))
- Specialist haem-onc — strict pregnancy prevention
Contraindications
- Pregnancy (highly teratogenic)
- Breastfeeding
- Hypersensitivity to retinoids
Side effects
- Differentiation syndrome (boxed)
- Hyperleukocytosis
- Pseudotumour cerebri
- Hyperlipidaemia
- Hepatotoxicity
- Bone pain
Interactions
- Tetracyclines (avoid — pseudotumour cerebri)
- Vitamin A
- Hormonal therapies
Monitoring
- FBC
- LFTs
- Lipids
- Diff syndrome surveillance
Reference: BNF; SmPC; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/tretinoin-specialist-drug/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators
- Vancomycin Dosing Calculator · Drug Dosing
- Phenytoin Correction for Albumin / Renal Failure · Drug Dosing
- Local Anaesthetic Maximum Dose Calculator · Drug Dosing
- Tisdale Risk Score for QT Prolongation · Arrhythmia
- Bazett Corrected QT Interval (QTc) Calculator · Arrhythmia
- DAPT Score for Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Duration · Antiplatelet Therapy
Pathways
- Major Haemorrhage / Massive Transfusion · BCSH; RCOA; RCEM; RCS — BCSH Guidelines
- Anaemia Investigation · BSH / NICE
- Deep Vein Thrombosis Diagnosis and Treatment · NICE CG144 / NICE NG158
- Sickle Cell Crisis · BSH 2021 / BCSH
- Neutropenic Sepsis · NICE CG151 2012 / ESMO
- Anticoagulation Reversal · BSH 2016 / ESC