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Treatment of acne with spironolactone: a retrospective review of 395 adult patients at Mayo Clinic, 2007–2017
Author(s) -
Roberts E.E.,
Nowsheen S.,
Davis M.D.P.,
McEvoy M.T.,
Newman C.C.,
Sartori Valinotti J.C.,
Sciallis G.F.,
Torgerson R.R.,
Wetter D.A.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/jdv.16302
Subject(s) - spironolactone , medicine , papulopustular , acne , retrospective cohort study , adverse effect , cohort , dermatology , heart failure , rosacea
Background Few large studies have assessed spironolactone treatment of adult female acne. Objectives To explore the role of spironolactone in the treatment of adult female acne. Methods We performed a retrospective case series assessing the efficacy of spironolactone treatment of a cohort of women evaluated at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, from 2007 through 2017. Results In total, 395 patients (median age, 32 years) received a median spironolactone dose of 100 mg daily. Approximately two‐thirds of patients (66.1%) had a complete response; 85.1% had a complete response or a partial response greater than 50%. Median times to initial response and maximum response were 3 and 5 months. Efficacy was observed across all severity subtypes of acne, including those with papulopustular and nodulocystic acne. Patients received long‐term treatment with spironolactone (median duration, 13 months) and had few adverse effects. Conclusions Spironolactone is a safe and effective treatment of acne for women.