title: Successful treatment of acne vulgaris using a new method: results of a randomized vehicle-controlled trial of short-contact therapy with 0.1% tazarotene gel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Short-contact application of 0.1% tazarotene gel for acne was devised to minimize local adverse effects. Its efficacy and safety are unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess acne improvement and tolerability during 12 weeks of short-contact treatment with 0.1% tazarotene gel vs a nonmedicated gel control.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, masked, vehicle-controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient facilities at an urban medical school and an affiliated suburban office practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-nine volunteers with facial acne were enrolled; 81 completed the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three patients were randomly assigned to each of 3 groups: T + T applied 0.1% tazarotene gel twice daily, T + V applied 0.1% tazarotene gel once daily and vehicle gel once daily, and V + V applied vehicle gel twice daily. Patients adjusted the contact period as tolerated, between 30 seconds and 5 minutes per application.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acne efficacy by reduction in acne lesions, treatment success (50%-100% improvement in global response to treatment) and improvement in overall disease severity. Local adverse effects, scored from none to severe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By week 12, T + T and T + V achieved significantly greater improvement in acne than V + V based on mean percentage reduction in noninflammatory lesions (46% and 41% vs 2%; P =.002) and inflammatory lesions (38% and 34% vs 9%; P =.01), percentage of treatment successes (64% and 61% vs 15%; P<.001), and reduction in overall disease severity (30% and 29% vs 3%; P<.001). Local adverse effects did not differ significantly among the 3 groups after week 4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-contact 0.1% tazarotene gel therapy is a safe and effective new method of acne treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bershad
authors.forename: Giselle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kranjac Singer
authors.forename: Janice E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Parente
authors.forename: Mei-Heng
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Sherer
authors.forename: Andrea N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Persaud
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lebwohl
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009539:Nicotinic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012176:Retinoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D009539:Nicotinic Acids; D012176:Retinoids; C086827:tazarotene