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A 6‐month maintenance therapy with adapalene‐benzoyl peroxide gel prevents relapse and continuously improves efficacy among patients with severe acne vulgaris: results of a randomized controlled trial
Author(s) -
Poulin Y.,
Sanchez N.P.,
Bucko A.,
Fowler J.,
Jarratt M.,
Kempers S.,
Kerrouche N.,
Dhuin J.C.,
Kunynetz R.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2011.10344.x
Subject(s) - adapalene , acne , medicine , benzoyl peroxide , dermatology , library science , computer science , chemistry , organic chemistry , polymerization , polymer
Summary Background Acne vulgaris is a chronic and frequently recurring disease. A fixed‐dose adapalene‐benzoyl peroxide (adapalene‐BPO) gel is an efficacious and safe acne treatment. Objectives To assess the long‐term effect of adapalene‐BPO on relapse prevention among patients with severe acne after successful initial treatments. Methods This is a multicentre, double‐blind, randomized and controlled study. In total, 243 subjects who had severe acne vulgaris and at least 50% global improvement after a previous 12‐week treatment were randomized into the present study to receive adapalene‐BPO gel or its vehicle once daily for 24 weeks. Results At week 24, compared with vehicle, adapalene‐BPO resulted in significantly higher lesion maintenance success rate (defined as having at least 50% improvement in lesion counts achieved in initial treatment) for all types of lesions (total lesions: 78·9% vs. 45·8%; inflammatory lesions: 78·0% vs. 48·3%; noninflammatory lesions: 78·0% vs. 43·3%; all P < 0·001). Significantly more subjects with adapalene‐BPO than with vehicle had the same or better Investigator’s Global Assessment score at week 24 than at baseline (70·7% vs. 34·2%; P < 0·001). The time when 25% of subjects relapsed was 175 days with adapalene‐BPO and 56 days with vehicle (17 weeks earlier; P < 0·0001). Adapalene‐BPO led to further decrease of lesion counts during the study and 45·7% of subjects were ‘clear’ or ‘almost clear’ at week 24. It was also safe and well tolerated in the study. Conclusions Adapalene‐BPO not only prevents the occurrence of relapse among patients with severe acne, but also continues to reduce disease symptoms during 6 months.