Oana Andreia Coman *, Elena Naumescu *, Dana Mihai *, Victoria Bălășoiu *, Simona Roxana Georgescu *
* Conf. univ. dr. Oana Andreia Coman, dr. Elena Năumescu, dr. Dana Mihai, dr. Victoria Bălășoiu, dr. Simona Roxana Georgescu – UMF “Carol Davila”, Spitalul Clinic de Dermato-venerologie “Scarlat Longhin”, București
Abstract
Treatment of vulgar acne has several objectives, including fighting local lipolytic flora, particularly P acnes. Associated to topical treatment, systemic antibiotics from two major classes – tetracyclines and macrolides are used. The authors conducted a randomized, simple-blind study comparing the effectiveness of tetracyclines vs. azythromycin in the treatment of vulgar acne. The lot included 30 patients with moderate vulgar acne, treated with tetracycline 1 g/day for 14 days followed by doxycicline 100 mg/day for 3 months, and 15 patients treated with azythromycin 500 mg/day for -3 d ays, follo wedby 500 mg/ week for 12 weeks. No additional systemic therapieswere associated. Clinical assessments were performed at baseline and after 1,2 and 3 months of treatment, plus a final one at 3 months after therapy completion. Cycline treated patients showed significant clinical improvement in 66.6% of cases, while 30% showed recurrences 3 months after stoppingthe treatment. Treatment was abandoned in four cases, due to gastrointestinal events (three cases) and photosensitization (one case). Azythromycin-treated patients showed significant improvement in 80% of the cases after 2 months and in 86.6% of the cases after 3 months of therapy, with no recurrences reported at the final assessments. No significant adverse events were reported. In conclusion, azythromycin, an azalidic macrolide, may be a good alternative to cyclines in the treatment of moderate forms of vulgar acne, with a good benefit/risk ratio.