title: Mobile teledermatology helping patients control high-need acne: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acne is an important health issue with a major psychological impact in addition to the physical problems it causes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the superiority of mobile teledermatology in the care of patients with high-need facial acne in comparison to outpatient services with particular attention to treatment efficacy, safety, and patient compliance. Further, patient satisfaction with remote care was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine consecutive patients (f: 25, m: 44, median age: 19 years, range: 13-37 years) were randomly allocated to either the teleconsultation (TCA) or the outpatient consultation (OCA) arm of the trial to receive isotretinoin treatment in weight and severity-dependent dosages over 24 weeks. Acne grading was performed by one examiner using the Global Acne Severity Scale (GEA) and the total lesion counting (TLC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Due to noncompliance issues, 17 of 69 (24.6%) patients were excluded from the study, of who 10 had been assigned to the TCA (10/34; 29.4%) and 7 to the OCA (7/35; 20%). Both, in the TCA (GEA-score: ∆ = 2.25; TLC: ∆ = 89.08) and in the OCA (GEA-score: ∆ = 2.0; TLC: ∆ = 91.21) excellent and almost equivalent therapeutic outcomes were achieved. In the TCA, however, less patients experienced adverse reactions (P = 0.55). Even though additional live supervision would have been appreciated in some teledermatology cases, patients were satisfied with the mobile service and no consultation request was created.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mobile teledermatology is an efficient, safe and well-accepted tool among patients with high-need acne constituting at least a valuable adjunct to outpatient care services. Further larger studies would be useful to confirm our findings.
authors.affiliation: JF Private Dermatology Practice, Maria Enzersdorf, Lower Austria, Austria; Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frühauf
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kröck
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Quehenberger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kopera
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fink-Puches
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Komericki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pucher
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arzberger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hofmann-Wellenhof
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001835:Body Weight; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017216:Telemedicine; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D015474:Isotretinoin