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Cell & Bioscience Jun 2023Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that profoundly impacts the quality of life of patients worldwide. While it is predominantly observed in adolescents, it can... (Review)
Review
Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that profoundly impacts the quality of life of patients worldwide. While it is predominantly observed in adolescents, it can affect individuals across all age groups. Acne pathogenesis is believed to be a result of various endogenous and exogenous factors, but the precise mechanisms remain elusive. Recent studies suggest that dysbiosis of the skin microbiota significantly contributes to acne development. Specifically, Cutibacterium acnes, the dominant resident bacterial species implicated in acne, plays a critical role in disease progression. Various treatments, including topical benzoyl peroxide, systemic antibiotics, and photodynamic therapy, have demonstrated beneficial effects on the skin microbiota composition in acne patients. Of particular interest is the therapeutic potential of probiotics in acne, given its direct influence on the skin microbiota. This review summarizes the alterations in skin microbiota associated with acne, provides insight into its pathogenic role in acne, and emphasizes the potential of therapeutic interventions aimed at restoring microbial homeostasis for acne management.
PubMed: 37344849
DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01072-w -
Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin Dec 2023Acne vulgaris is very common and can have significant negative impact on people. While sometimes a transient problem, acne may persist for many years and often leads to... (Review)
Review
Acne vulgaris is very common and can have significant negative impact on people. While sometimes a transient problem, acne may persist for many years and often leads to permanent scars or pigment changes. Guidelines unanimously advise topical treatments as first-line, although differ in recommending either topical benzoyl peroxide or topical retinoid (mainly adapalene) alone or in combination. Guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence advises counselling patients regarding avoidance of skin irritation when starting topical treatments and promoting adherence (treatments take 6-8 weeks to work). Oral antibiotics are currently overprescribed for acne but have a role when coprescribed with a non-antibiotic topical treatment. Hormonal treatments, such as the combined contraceptive pill, are also effective and there is growing evidence for the use of spironolactone for women with persistent acne. Recent guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency regarding isotretinoin has implications for specialist prescribing and monitoring, and increasing public awareness of potential risks of mental health problems and sexual dysfunction. Although acne is associated with psychiatric disorder, the mental health effects of isotretinoin remain controversial.
Topics: Humans; Female; Isotretinoin; Acne Vulgaris; Benzoyl Peroxide; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Adapalene
PubMed: 38154809
DOI: 10.1136/dtb.2023.000051 -
Annals of Family Medicine 2023Acne is an extremely common skin disease with an estimated global prevalence of 9.4%. We aim to provide comprehensive comparisons of the common pharmacological... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
PURPOSE
Acne is an extremely common skin disease with an estimated global prevalence of 9.4%. We aim to provide comprehensive comparisons of the common pharmacological treatments for acne.
METHODS
Randomized controlled trials comparing the efficacy of pharmacological therapies for acne vulgaris in patients of any age and sex and with a treatment duration of >2 weeks were included. PubMed and Embase databases were searched from inception until February 2022. Our prespecified primary end points were mean percentage reduction in total, inflammatory, and noninflammatory lesions. Treatment ranking was determined by values.
RESULTS
There were 210 articles describing 221 trials and 37 interventions included in the analysis. Our primary analysis of percentage reduction in total lesion count had 65,601 patients enrolled. Across all trials, the mean age was 20.4 years. The median duration of treatment was 12 weeks. The median total, inflammatory, and noninflammatory lesion counts were 72, 27, and 44, respectively. The most effective treatment was oral isotretinoin (mean difference [MD] = 48.41; = 1.00), followed by triple therapy containing a topical antibiotic, a topical retinoid, and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) (MD = 38.15; = .95) and by triple therapy containing an oral antibiotic, a topical retinoid, and BPO (MD = 34.83; = .90). For monotherapies, oral or topical antibiotics or topical retinoids have comparable efficacy for inflammatory lesions, while oral or topical antibiotics have less effect on noninflammatory lesions.
CONCLUSION
The most effective treatment for acne is oral isotretinoin, followed by triple therapies containing a topical retinoid, BPO, and an antibiotic. We present detailed comparisons of each intervention to serve as a practical database.
Topics: Humans; Young Adult; Adult; Dermatologic Agents; Isotretinoin; Network Meta-Analysis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Acne Vulgaris; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Retinoids; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 37487721
DOI: 10.1370/afm.2995 -
Journal of the American Academy of... Oct 2023Benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin are commonly prescribed acne treatments. Historically, they have been difficult to combine in a single formulation due to chemical... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy and safety of microencapsulated benzoyl peroxide and microencapsulated tretinoin for the treatment of acne vulgaris: Results from two phase 3 double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled studies.
BACKGROUND
Benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin are commonly prescribed acne treatments. Historically, they have been difficult to combine in a single formulation due to chemical instability, and both medications are potentially irritating. Microencapsulation helps overcome these challenges.
OBJECTIVE
Examine efficacy, safety, and tolerability of encapsulated BPO/encapsulated tretinoin (E-BPO/T) cream, 3%/0.1%.
METHODS
Subjects ≥9 years old with moderate to severe acne were enrolled in 2 multicenter, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, parallel trials and randomized (2:1) to 12 weeks of once-daily E-BPO/T (n = 571) or vehicle cream (n = 287).
RESULTS
E-BPO/T was significantly superior to vehicle in both studies, with more subjects achieving IGA success with E-BPO/T (38.5%/25.4%) versus vehicle (11.5%/14.7%; P < .001/P = .017). The change from baseline in inflammatory lesion count for E-BPO/T was -21.6 versus -14.8 for vehicle (P < .001) in study 1 and -16.2 versus -14.1 (P = .018) in study 2. The changes from baseline in noninflammatory lesions for E-BPO/T were -29.7 versus -19.8 for vehicle (P < .001) and -24.2 and -17.4 (P < .001) in studies 1 and 2, respectively. E-BPO/T was well tolerated in both studies.
LIMITATIONS
Long-term data are not available.
CONCLUSION
E-BPO/T provided statistically significant and clinically relevant improvements in IGA and inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts and was well tolerated in subjects with moderate to severe acne.
Topics: Child; Humans; Acne Vulgaris; Administration, Cutaneous; Benzoyl Peroxide; Dermatologic Agents; Double-Blind Method; Drug Combinations; Emollients; Immunoglobulin A; Treatment Outcome; Tretinoin
PubMed: 37356627
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2023.05.093 -
Dermatology and Therapy Dec 2023Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory disease with a multifactorial pathogenesis. The wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes, including erythema, telangiectasia, inflammatory... (Review)
Review
Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory disease with a multifactorial pathogenesis. The wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes, including erythema, telangiectasia, inflammatory papules and pustules, and phyma, demand an individualized approach to treatment. This narrative review offers an updated reference for rosacea management by covering the latest developments in both topical and systemic treatments, including data from newly approved therapies, updates to current treatment modalities and ongoing clinical trials. Although use of benzoyl peroxide as a treatment for rosacea has typically been limited due to irritation, the improved tolerability due to microencapsulation of benzoyl peroxide 5% cream provides a new therapeutic option for patients with rosacea. Minocycline foam and topical ivermectin cream add to our armamentarium of treatment options, particularly for inflammatory papules and pustules. Sarecycline has a narrower spectrum of antibacterial activity, which might reduce the development of antibiotic resistance and disruption of the microbiome compared to other oral antibiotics. Brimonidine gel and oxymetazoline cream provide topical options for redness and flushing. There is emerging evidence about the role of hydroxychloroquine and intradermal botulinum toxin A, which may improve rosacea through their effects on mast cells. The clinical trials pipeline includes agents with a variety of mechanisms, including mast cell stabilization, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and vasoconstrictive effects. However, the clinical pipeline for rosacea appears limited, and there remain important unmet needs for patients with more recalcitrant rosacea or phymatous disease. In addition, there is a need for comparative effectiveness studies to identify the highest value treatment approaches for patients with rosacea.
PubMed: 37824060
DOI: 10.1007/s13555-023-01048-1 -
Dermatology and Therapy Jan 2024The skin microbiome consists of the microorganisms populating the human skin. Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes, formerly named Propionibacterium acnes) is recognized as a... (Review)
Review
The skin microbiome consists of the microorganisms populating the human skin. Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes, formerly named Propionibacterium acnes) is recognized as a key factor in acne development, regulating inflammatory and immune pathways. Dysbiosis has been described as the imbalance in skin microbiome homeostasis and may play a role in acne pathogenesis. Microbial interference has been shown to be a contributor to healthy skin homeostasis and staphylococcal strains may exclude acne-associated C. acnes phylotypes. In this review we present an update on the skin microbiome in acne and discuss how current acne treatments such as benzoyl peroxide, orally administered isotretinoin, and antibiotics may affect the skin microbiome homeostasis. We highlight the collateral damage of acne antibiotics on the skin microbiome, including the risk of antimicrobial resistance and the dysregulation of the microbiome equilibrium that may occur even with short-term antibiotic courses. Consequently, the interest is shifting towards new non-antibiotic pharmacological acne treatments. Orally administered spironolactone is an emerging off-label treatment for adult female patients and topical peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) modulation is being studied for patients with acne. The potential application of topical or oral probiotics, bacteriotherapy, and phage therapy for acne are further promising areas of future research.
PubMed: 38183614
DOI: 10.1007/s13555-023-01079-8 -
Archives of Dermatological Research Dec 2023Microencapsulation has received extensive attention because of its various applications. Since its inception in the 1940s, this technology has been used across several... (Review)
Review
Microencapsulation has received extensive attention because of its various applications. Since its inception in the 1940s, this technology has been used across several areas, including the chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Over-the-counter skin products often contain ingredients that readily and unevenly degrade upon contact with the skin. Enclosing these substances within a silica shell can enhance their stability and better regulate their delivery onto and into the skin. Silica microencapsulation uses silica as the matrix material into which ingredients can be embedded to form microcapsules. The FDA recognizes amorphous silica as a safe inorganic excipient and recently approved two new topical therapies for the treatment of rosacea and acne. The first approved formulation uses a novel silica-based controlled vehicle delivery technology to improve the stability of two active ingredients that are normally not able to be used in the same formulation due to potential instability and drug degradation. The formulation contains 3.0% benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and 0.1% tretinoin topical cream to treat acne vulgaris in adults and pediatric patients. The second formulation contains silica microencapsulated 5.0% BPO topical cream to treat inflammatory rosacea lesions in adults. Both formulations use the same amorphous silica sol-gel microencapsulation technology to improve formulation stability and skin compatibility parameters.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Child; Dermatologic Agents; Benzoyl Peroxide; Acne Vulgaris; Tretinoin; Pharmaceutical Vehicles; Rosacea; Nonprescription Drugs; Gels; Treatment Outcome; Drug Combinations
PubMed: 37792034
DOI: 10.1007/s00403-023-02725-z -
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic... Aug 2023A new formulation of benzoyl peroxide (E-BPO cream, 5%) entraps benzoyl peroxide (BPO) in silica microcapsules. This study assesses the efficacy, safety, and...
OBJECTIVE
A new formulation of benzoyl peroxide (E-BPO cream, 5%) entraps benzoyl peroxide (BPO) in silica microcapsules. This study assesses the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of E-BPO cream, 5%, in rosacea in two Phase III clinical trials.
METHODS
In two 12-week, randomized, double-blind, vehicle cream-controlled Phase III trials, 733 subjects at least 18 years old with moderate to severe rosacea were randomized (2:1) to once-daily E-BPO cream, 5%, or vehicle.
RESULTS
In Study 1, the proportion of subjects achieving IGA clear/almost clear at Week 12 was 43.5 percent for E-BPO cream, 5%, and 16.1 percent for vehicle. In Study 2, the respective values were 50.1 percent and 25.9 percent. In Study 1, the decrease in lesion count from baseline to Week 12 was -17.4 for E-BPO cream, 5%, versus -9.5 for vehicle. In Study 2, the respective values were -20.3 and -13.3 (all <0.001). The difference was also significant at Week 2. There were no treatment-related serious adverse events; 1.4 percent of subjects (1.8% E-BPO cream, 5%, 0.4% vehicle) discontinued due to adverse events. Assessed local tolerability was found to be similar among subjects in both E-BPO and vehicle.
UNLABELLED
E-BPO was not compared with unencapsulated BPO.
CONCLUSION
E-BPO is an effective and well tolerated treatment for rosacea. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifiers: NCT03564119, NCT03448939.
PubMed: 37636253
DOI: No ID Found