title: A randomized, controlled trial of a low-dose contraceptive containing 20 microg of ethinyl estradiol and 100 microg of levonorgestrel for acne treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of a low-dose oral contraceptive (OC) containing 100 microg of levonorgestrel (LNG) and 20 microg of ethinyl estradiol (EE) compared with placebo for the treatment of moderate acne.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient dermatology clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women (> or =14 years old; n = 350) with normal menstrual cycles and moderate acne were randomized to receive LNG/EE or placebo for six cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty microg of EE and 100 microg of LNG.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acne lesion counts and clinician global assessment were performed at baseline and at each cycle. Patient self-assessment was carried out at baseline and at cycles 4 and 6; blood pressure and weight were measured at baseline and at cycles 1, 3, and 6.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Inflammatory, noninflammatory, and total lesion counts at cycle 6 with LNG/EE were significantly lower compared to placebo. Patients in the LNG/EE group also had significantly better clinician global and patient self-assessment scores than those in the placebo group at cycle. Changes in weight from baseline were similar between patients in the LNG/EE and placebo groups at all measured time points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This double-blind, placebo-controlled study demonstrates that a low-dose OC containing 20 microg of EE and 100 microg of LNG is an effective and safe treatment for moderate acne.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thiboutot
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Archer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lemay
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Washenik
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001835:Body Weight; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D010919:Placebos; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D016912:Levonorgestrel