title: Phase 4 study to assess tretinoin pump for the treatment of facial acne.
abstract: It is well known that the setting of clinical trials for registration studies do not necessarily represent efficacy seen in clinical practice, where physicians have the flexibility to select, combine, and change the acne treatment prescription. In this phase 4, open-label, multicenter, community-based study, 544 patients who were dissatisfied with their current acne treatment received tretinoin gel microsphere (TGM) 0.04% or 0.1% in a pump dispenser for 12 weeks. Patients were allowed the use of up to 2 other concurrent acne therapies, not including other retinoids. A total of 361 patients received TGM 0.04% and 183 received TGM 0.1%. Compliance was high (defined as 75% to 100% of prescribed doses taken) for approximately 95% of patients in both groups at every evaluation. At week 12, the mean modified Global Acne Grade score (mGAGs) and the investigator global evaluation (IGE) demonstrated significant (P<.0001) improvement from baseline for both concentrations, with 72% having at least moderate improvement. In approximately 25% of patients, acne was assessed as cleared or almost cleared. Most side effects were characteristic of topical retinoids. These results indicate TGM in a pump dispenser as an effective, well-tolerated acne treatment that is associated with a high rate of compliance.
authors.affiliation: Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, USA. leichenfield@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Lawrence F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Eichenfield
authors.forename: Marge
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nighland
authors.forename: Ana Beatris
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Fran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cook-Bolden
authors.forename: Pearl
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grimes
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fried
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008863:Microspheres; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D014212:Tretinoin