In the comparison of various pharmacological therapies for acne vulgaris, researchers identified oral isotretinoin as the most effective treatment, followed closely by a triple therapy comprising a topical antibiotic, a topical retinoid, and benzoyl peroxide (BPO).
Another triple therapy consisting of an oral antibiotic, a topical retinoid, and BPO also showed substantial efficacy. Among monotherapies, antibiotics or topical retinoids exhibited comparable effectiveness for inflammatory lesions, while antibiotics showed less impact on non-inflammatory lesions.
Understanding Acne
Acne is a common skin disease with an estimated global presence of 9.4% and an annual cost of $3 billion in the United States. Although guidelines that recommend medications are generally supported by high-quality, randomized controlled trials, research is lacking on the efficacy of certain medications, particularly when comparing treatment options that have markedly inconsistent drug prescribing patterns among countries and among prescriber specialties.
Based on a comprehensive meta-analysis of 210 articles, comprising 221 trials and examining 37 interventions involving 65,601 patients, researchers have concluded that oral isotretinoin is the most effective treatment for acne.
Following closely behind, triple therapies incorporating a topical retinoid, benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and an antibiotic have shown significant efficacy. For monotherapies, both oral/topical antibiotics and topical retinoids demonstrate comparable effectiveness for inflammatory lesions.
Source: Eurekalert
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