title: Comparing efficacy of Montelukast versus doxycycline in treatment of moderate acne.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment of acne is an important issue for reducing the cosmetic and psychological burden of disease. Regarding the inflammatory effect of LT-B4 in acne lesions and action mechanism of Montelukast, this study was performed to determine the efficacy of Montelukastin acne treatment comparison with doxycycline.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized clinical trial that was performed in Dermatology Clinic in a Training Tertiary Health Care Center in Tehran, Iran since January 2012 to May 2014, 52 patients with moderate acne were evaluated. The included patients were randomly assigned to receive doxycycline 100 mg/day plus 1% Clindamycin solution (Group 1) or Montelukast 5 mg daily plus 1% clindamycin solution (Group 2). The acne severity index was measured and compared between two groups at baseline (on admission), 1-month and 3 months later. Independent-Sample-T, Chi-Square, and Repeated-Measure ANOVA tests were used and were considered statistically significant at P < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 26.8 ± 7.1 in Group 1 and25 ± 4.8 in Group 2 (P = 0.1). 73% women and 26.7% 4 men in Group 1 and 86.7% women, and 13.3% men in Group 2 (P = 0.01). The mean acne severity index at baseline was 18.2 ± 6.1 and 19 ± 4.2 in Montelukast and doxycycline group, respectively (P = 0.679). The mean acne severity index after 1-month was 10.5 ± 6.2 and 12.9 ± 3.3 in Montelukast and doxycycline group, respectively (P = 0). Finally, the mean acne severity index after 3 months follow-up was 8.6 ± 4.8 and 8.2 ± 1.2 in Montelukast and doxycycline group, respectively (P = 0.01). There was no significant difference between two groups regarding the amount of decrease in acne severity index across the study (P = 0.186). However, each groups showed a significant reduction in the acne severity index, separately (P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It may be concluded that Montelukast is an effective and safe medication for moderate-level acne treatment.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Dermatology Department, Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Behrangi
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Resident, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Elahe
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arasteh
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor of Gastroentrology, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
authors.forename: Tahmine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tavakoli
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Dermatology Department, Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Golnaz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mehran
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Dermatology Department, Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Najmolsadat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Atefi
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Students Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shooka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esmaeeli
authors.affiliation: Resident of Dermatology, Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Azizian
keywords: Acne; inflammation; montelukast; treatment