Search

Background: Topical clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide have each demonstrated clinical efficacy in the treatment of acne vulgaris. When used in combination, they promise greater efficacy than either individual agent used alone and the combined use of benzoyl peroxide with topical antibacterial has been shown to decrease the emergence of antibacterial resistant species., Objective: The objective was to determine the efficacy and safety of a combination benzoyl peroxide plus clindamycin in a gel formulation compared with each of its 2 active constituents in gel vehicle, and gel vehicle given alone in the treatment of acne vulgaris., Methods: In this 10-week, multicenter, double-blind trial, 480 patients with moderate to moderately severe acne were randomized to receive twice-daily treatment with 5% benzoyl peroxide plus 1% clindamycin, 5% benzoyl peroxide, 1% clindamycin, or vehicle., Results: Significantly greater reductions in the number of inflammatory and total lesions were demonstrated in patients using combination therapy compared with those using any of its 3 individual components. Likewise, both physicians' and patients' global evaluations showed significantly greater improvements with the combination therapy than with its individual components. The most frequent adverse effect, dry skin, occurred to a similar extent in the combination and benzoyl peroxide treatment groups., Conclusion: The improved efficacy obtained with the combination therapy was accompanied by a tolerability profile similar to that of benzoyl peroxide alone, making this new combination product an alternative antimicrobial therapy for acne vulgaris.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference, if any, in facial skin tolerance of adapalene 0.1% gel applied immediately after washing, compared to delayed application as recommended for the other topical retinoids: tretinoin and isotretinoin. Twenty-five acne patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris were included in this intra individual randomized comparison study where adapalene 0.1% gel was applied immediately after washing on one half of the face and 20-30 min after washing on the contralateral half-face, for 22 consecutive days. No difference between the two regimens was detected by the investigator or by 21 of the 22 patients who completed the study. It was concluded that application of adapalene gel 0.1% is well tolerated even when applied immediately after washing.

One hundred patients with acne vulgaris applied adapalene (Differin) 0.1% gel to one side of their face and tretinoin 0.025% cream to the other once a day for 4 weeks; the side of application was determined by randomization code. Patient tolerance (assessed as the side of the face least irritated by drug application) was recorded weekly and patient preference (assessed as the preparation more easily spread, absorbed more quickly, smelled better, felt best on the skin and least greasy to the feel) at completion of the study. The investigator measured skin irritation weekly, scoring erythema, skin dryness, desquamation and burning/stinging on a 10-point scale. After each week of treatment, 64-68% of patients found adapalene 0.1% gel more tolerable than tretinoin 0.025% cream (P < 0.05). At study completion, 65% of patients preferred adapalene 0.1% gel over tretinoin 0.025% cream (P = 0.003). An overall assessment showed adapalene 0.1% gel was significantly less irritating to the skin in terms of producing erythema, dryness, desquamation and burning/stinging, at Visits 2, 3 and 4 (P < 0.02). Thirty-two patients experienced mild to moderately severe adverse events; three had adverse events considered to be drug related (two with skin discomfort; one with skin dryness). One patient stopped using the study drugs because of dry skin. This study showed that a majority of patients preferred adapalene 0.1% gel over tretinoin 0.025% cream and that it caused significantly less skin irritation.