The duration of response to norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol in the treatment of acne vulgaris.

摘要

OBJECTIVE: This was a postmarketing, retrospective, exploratory analysis to investigate the duration of response to a triphasic combination oral contraceptive (OC) (Ortho Tri-Cyclen; Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Raritan, NJ) [norgestimate-ethinyl estradiol]) in the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris. PROCEDURES: Healthy women with moderate acne vulgaris were enrolled in two 6-month, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Subjects received either 3 weeks of active OC treatment (i.e., 0.035 mg ethinyl estradiol plus increasing doses of norgestimate [0.180 mg, 0.215 mg, 0.250 mg]) and 1 week of inactive tablets, or 4 weeks of color-matched placebo tablets. RESULTS: A total of 507 subjects were enrolled in the study. Duration of response was analyzed in subjects with at least slight improvement in global progress of treatment from the earliest cycle showing response (n = 305) and in subjects with at least slight improvement at or before cycle 3 (n = 276); the duration of response was statistically significant in favor of the norgestimate-ethinyl estradiol group in both cases (P < or = .001). The variability of mean percent change in lesions was also statistically significantly greater in the placebo group than in the OC group for total lesions (P < or = .001) and inflammatory lesions (P < or = .001). CONCLUSION: A triphasic combination of norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol lengthens the time interval to recurrence of acne lesions.