title: 13-cis-retinoic acid in conglobate acne. A follow-up study of 14 trial centers.
abstract: A follow-up was done on the patients of the German multicenter study with severe conglobate acne who had been treated with different dosages of 13-cis-retinoic acid. Eighty-seven patients were monitored from 12 to 21 months. Optimal long-term therapeutic effects were obtained with an initial dose of 1.0 mg/kg body weight, for 3 months, followed by another 3-month-treatment period with 0.2 mg/kg body weight. Six months after the termination of therapy 96% of the patients were still in remission and 81% after 12 months. Comparative figures for the administration of doses were 84% as opposed to 47% (0.5----0.2 mg/kg body wt.) and 74% as opposed to 37% (0.2----0.2 mg/kg body wt.), respectively. It is suggested from the present data that a high initial dosage of 13-cis-retinoic acid be chosen in order to obtain optimal long-term therapeutic effects. Transiently elevated lipid levels as well as other tolerable side effects return to normal within 3 months at the latest after discontinuation of treatment.
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D012628:Dermatitis, Seborrheic / Q000188:drug therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007536:Isomerism; D015474:Isotretinoin; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D012008:Recurrence; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D014212:Tretinoin; D015474:Isotretinoin