title: Efficacy, tolerability, impact on quality of life and sebostatic activity of three topical preparations for the treatment of mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acne is treated according to the clinical observations and pathophysiologically relevant mechanisms, such as hyper-keratinization, seborrhea and bacterial proliferation. In mild and moderate forms of inflammatory acne, topical antimicrobials are recommended as a monotherapy or in combination with topical retinoids. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical effectiveness, tolerability, impact on quality of life and effect on sebum excretion of three antimicrobial preparations: clindamycin phosphate, benzoyl peroxide and a combination of clindamycin phosphate plus benzoyl peroxide.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 240 patients were randomized into treatment groups for an 8-week study. Every two weeks the patients were evaluated using the following methods: photography, the Global Acne Grading System, sebumetric evaluation, and the Acne-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire. In addition, 80 healthy controls were enrolled for the sebumetric evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant improvement in acne and the quality of life was observed for all three therapies at the end of the study. The sebum excretion results for the three treatment groups displayed significant and unpredictable variation, whereas the controls groups exhibited no significant variation. The three treatments were well tolerated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The efficacy of the three antimicrobial preparations likely results from their anti-inflammatory and bacteriostatic activities. In contrast, seborrhoea seems to be minimally impacted.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy - giuseppe.stinco@uniud.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stinco
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Piccirillo
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valent
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Errichetti
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: DI Meo
authors.forename: Giusto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trevisan
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patrone
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D001585:Benzoyl Peroxide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012629:Sebum / Q000187:drug effects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; C466951:clindamycin phosphate benzoyl peroxide combination; D002981:Clindamycin; D001585:Benzoyl Peroxide