title: Efficacy and safety of a 12-month treatment with a combination of hydroxypinacolone retinoate and retinol glycospheres as maintenance therapy in acne patients after oral isotretinoin.
abstract: A correct therapeutic management of acne should include a maintenance therapy to prevent recurrences after discontinuing a successful treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate efficacy and safety of a 12-month maintenance treatment with a product, based on Retinsphere technology that combines retinol encapsulated in glycospheres and hydroxypinacolone retinoate (Biretix gel®), to control acne relapse after a treatment with oral isotretinoin (O.I.).
  
  
  
  The study consisted of 2 phases: active treatment phase (AP) and maintenance phase (MP). In the AP, 40 consecutive patients with moderate facial acne were treated with O.I. until acne remission. Then, the patients entered in the MP and were treated with Biretix gel® once-daily for 12 months. The efficacy parameter was the relapse rate during MP.
  
  
  
  Thirty-nine patients completed the study. Relapse appeared in 6 patients (15.38%). The new product with Retinsphere technology was well tolerated and none of the subjects complained of adverse events.
  
  
  
  Our findings seems to provide favorable evidence of the efficacy and the safety of this new product in the maintenance treatment after O.I. in patient with moderate acne. The efficacy is maintain for a period as long as a year after O.I. suspension.
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Sant'Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy - vincenzo.bettoli@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bettoli
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Sant'Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zauli
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Sant'Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Sant'Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toni
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Sant'Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Sant'Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bertoldi
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Sant'Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Annarosa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Virgili
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002074:Butanones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D060046:Maintenance Chemotherapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002074:Butanones; D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D014801:Vitamin A; D014212:Tretinoin; D015474:Isotretinoin