Anti-androgen treatment in women with acne: a controlled trial.

Journal article

Ninety female patients with acne were allocated randomly to one of three groups and treated either with Diane, a high dose cyproterone acetate (CPA) regime with ethinyloestradiol, or Minovlar. The same dose of oestrogen was common to all three treatment groups. Patients were assessed every 2 months for 6 months, by grading for severity of the acne, lesion counts and photography, and subjectively using a visual analogue scale. In addition, bacteriological sampling and sebum excretion rate (SER) measurements were performed. The results showed a clinical improvement in all three treatment groups, but a more rapid and complete response was seen in those groups who received CPA. There was also a consistent trend suggesting a more favourable response in those in the high dose CPA group. Although there was a marked reduction in SER in the groups treated with CPA, there was no correlation between reduction in SER and clinical improvement in individuals, nor could a reduction in the surface bacterial population be shown to be a primary event in the success of anti-androgen therapy. We have shown that the addition of CPA to oestrogen adds significantly to the therapeutic effect in acne and that anti-androgen and oestrogen combinations are more effective than standard oestrogen and progestagen contraceptive pills.

Authors: Miller, J; Wojnarowska, F; Dowd, P; Ashton, R; O'Brien, T

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: British journal of dermatology
• Volume: 114
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 705-716
• Publication date: 1986-06-01
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1986.tb04880.x
• EISSN: 1365-2133
• ISSN: 0007-0963
• Language: English
• Keywords: Humans; Ethinyl Estradiol; Random Allocation; Cyproterone Acetate; Female; Adolescent; Norethindrone; Androgen Antagonists; Double-Blind Method; Acne Vulgaris; Adult; Drug Therapy, Combination; Clinical Trials as Topic; Cyproterone; Drug Combinations