Acne Medications

Braz J Med Biol Res. 2009 Jun; 42(6): 501-5Abulnaja KOAcne vulgaris is a multifactorial disease affecting a majority of the adolescent population. The objective of this study was to test for a correlation between fasting serum lipid profiles and levels of testosterone, insulin, leptin, and interleukin 1-beta (IL-1beta) and the incidence of severe acne vulgaris in obese adolescent females. Four groups of adolescent females were studied: obese with acne, obese without acne, non-obese with acne, and non-obese without acne. Obese females with acne, compared to obese females without acne and non-obese subjects, had significantly higher serum triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein-B (apo-B) (mean +/- SD: 197 +/- 13.7 vs 171 +/- 11.5, 128 +/- 8.3 vs 116 +/- 7.7, 96 +/- 13.7 vs 85 +/- 10.3 mg/dL, respectively) but significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apo-A1 levels (40 +/- 3.3 vs 33 +/- 3.5 and 126 +/- 12 vs 147 +/- 13 mg/dL). Serum testosterone, insulin and leptin levels were significantly higher in obese subjects with or without acne compared to non-obese females with or without acne (3 +/- 0.5 vs 2.1 +/- 0.47, 15.5 +/- 3.3 vs 11.6 +/- 3, 0.9 +/- 0.2 vs 0.6 +/- 0.15 nmol/mL, respectively). Serum IL-1b was significantly elevated in obese and non-obese subjects with acne compared to subjects without acne; in those without acne, these levels were higher in obese than non-obese subjects (2.4 +/- 0.2, 1.4 +/- 0.1 vs 1.8 +/- 0.12 and 1.3 +/- 0.11 pg/mL, respectively). Our results indicate that there is a relationship between obesity (BMI >27) and acne. By early recognition, the etiology and treatment protocol of acne may prevent unwanted conditions.

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2009 Mar; 23(3): 245-50Ko HC, Song M, Seo SH, Oh CK, Kwon KS, Kim MBBACKGROUND: Used as individual agents, topical antibiotics and benzoyl peroxide are known to be effective in treatment of acne. Clindamycin phosphate 1% with benzoyl peroxide 5% (CDP/BPO) is a new combination gel, made by rationale, in that combination drug is more effective than either ingredients used alone. Adapalene 0.1% (ADA) is the third-generation retinoid, shown to be as effective as other topical retinoid with well tolerability. OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy and tolerability in combination of CDP/BPO in comparison with ADA in Asian patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris. METHODS: Total of 69 patients, including 31 patients for CDP/BPO group and 38 for ADA group, with mild to moderate acne vulgaris were enrolled for a 12-week prospective, randomized, open-label comparative study of topical agents. Efficacy was assessed by lesion counts, acne grading system, and global improvement. Adverse events were also evaluated in scale of 0 (none) to 3 (severe). RESULTS: Both CDP/BPO and ADA were effective in reducing lesion counts and acne severity scale and showed significant global improvement. However, CDP/BPO offered greater efficacy against inflammatory lesions than ADA. Both drugs were well tolerated with minimal adverse drug reactions. CONCLUSION: Combination formulation of CDP/BPO and ADA were shown to be both effective in decreasing total, inflammatory, and non-inflammatory lesion counts along with well tolerability in Asian patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris.

Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2009 May-Jun; 75(3): 279-82NilFroushzadeh MA, Siadat AH, Baradaran EH, Moradi SBACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris is a common skin disease that affects 85% to 100% of people at some time during their lives. It is characterized by noninflammatory follicular papules or comedones and by inflammatory papules, pustules, and nodules in its more severe forms. AIMS: To compare the efficacy of combination treatment of clindamycin+salicylic acid, versus clindamycin+tretinoin versus clindamycin alone in the treatment of the mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris. METHODS: This was a single-blinded, randomized clinical trial.Forty-two female patients (age range: 15-25 years) with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris were selected randomly and subsequently randomized to 3 groups. Group A patients were treated with 1% clindamycin lotion (C lotion) twice daily. Group B patients were treated with 1% clindamycin+0.025% tretinoin lotion once nightly (CT lotion). Group C patients were treated with 1% clindamycin+2% salicylic acid lotion twice daily (CS lotion) for 12 weeks. For comparison of efficacy of these treatments, and regarding the skewed distribution of the data, Kruskal-Wallis Test and Mann-Whitney U test were used. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between 3 types of treatment in the respect of the total lesion count (TLC) improvement (P = 0.039). The efficacy of treatment on Acne Severity Index (ASI) was maximum for CS lotion (81.80% reduction in ASI). CT lotion reduced ASI by as much as 73.73% during 12 weeks of treatment. The efficacy of C lotion was calculated to be 37.87% in the reduction of ASI. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested that the efficacy of CS lotion was significantly more than C lotion with respect to the TLC and ASI, although there was no significant difference between CS and CT lotion.

Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2009 May-Jun; 75(3): 272-8Adityan B, Thappa DMBACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris is believed to be the most common disease of the skin. There is no Indian study on the profile of acne vulgaris, markers of severe forms of acne vulgaris and a possible correlation between acne vulgaris and markers of androgenicity in females. AIM: To study the profile of acne vulgaris, its seasonal variation, relationship with smoking and possible correlation between acne vulgaris and markers of androgenicity in females. METHODS: The study was conducted between August 2006 and June 2008. All patients with acne vulgaris who consented to participate in the study were included. The parameters evaluated included age, gender, age of onset, duration of lesions, site of lesions, grade, relation with menstrual cycle, markers of androgenicity, number of acne lesions such as comedones, papules pustules and nodules, number and site of post-acne scarring, post-acne hyperpigmentation, seasonal variation and history of smoking. RESULTS: A total of 309 patients with acne vulgaris were included in the study. The frequency of acne vulgaris in our study was 1.068%. Mean age of the study group was 19.78 years. Male to female ratio was 1.25:1. The most common age group involved was 16 to 20 years (59.8%). Mean age of onset was 15.97 years. Face was involved in all the patients, followed by back (28.2%), chest (20.1%), neck (9.4%) and arms (10%). In the older age groups, women were more likely to report having acne vulgaris than men (P = 0.01). The closed comedones outnumbered open comedones by a factor of 4.9:1. A total of 186 patients (60.2%) had grade 1 acne vulgaris, 85 (27.5%) had grade 2 acne, 8 (2.6%) had grade 3 acne and 30 (9.7%) had grade 4 acne vulgaris. There was a higher incidence of scarring (39.5%) and post-acne hyperpigmentation (24.6%) in our study. In female patients, 57.7% had premenstrual flare and 12.4% had cutaneous markers of androgenicity. There was no association between severity of acne vulgaris and other markers of androgenicity (P = 0.108). Seborrheic dermatitis (21.35%) was the most common disease associated. Seasonal variation was observed only in 80 patients (25.9%); 71 patients (23%) exacerbated in summer and 9 patients (2.9%) in winter. Smokers had more severe grade of acne vulgaris compared to nonsmokers (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study brings out the clinical profile of acne vulgaris in a tertiary care hospital in South India.