Treatment of rosacea: topical clindamycin versus oral tetracycline.
BACKGROUND
A new topical antibiotic preparation, clindamycin in a lotion base, was compared with oral tetracycline in the treatment of rosacea. Forty-three patients clinically diagnosed as having rosacea were examined in an investigator-blinded study.


METHODS
Patients used topical clindamycin lotion applied twice daily or the usual oral dose of tetracycline hydrochloride (250 mg four times a day for 3 weeks, then 250 mg twice a day for the remaining 9 weeks). Patients' lesions were examined clinically at 3-week intervals over a period of 12 weeks.


RESULTS
Topical clindamycin treatment produced similar clinical results to oral tetracycline and was superior in the eradication of pustules.


CONCLUSIONS
These results show topical clindamycin in a lotion base to be a safe and effective alternative to oral tetracycline therapy in the treatment of rosacea.
Wilkin
J K
JK
Department of Medicine, Ohio State University.
DeWitt
S
S
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012393:Rosacea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D002981:Clindamycin; C007084:clindamycin phosphate; D013752:Tetracycline