This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (38)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Gregory A. Ertl, MD; Norman Levine, MD; Albert M. Kligman, MD, PhD

Arch Dermatol. 1994;130(3):319-324.

Abstract
Background and Design
Twenty-two patients with severe or recalcitrant rosacea were divided into three treatment groups in a randomized, double-blind trial that compared low-dose oral isotretinoin (10 mg/d), topically applied tretinoin (0.025% cream), and the combined use of both isotretinoin and tretinoin. For the first 16 weeks of the trial, subjects received one of these three trial regimens. For the final 16 weeks, isotretinoin was withheld while tretinoin cream or a placebo cream was continued.

Results
Twenty subjects completed the trial. Each treatment produced therapeutic benefits with regard to the number of papules and pustules and erythema. Treatment with oral isotretinoin appeared to give a more rapid onset of improvement, but there were no differences between the groups after 16 weeks. This level of improvement continued during the succeeding 16 weeks of observation whether the subjects used the tretinoin or the placebo cream. Adverse events were minimal and well tolerated in all groups.

Conclusions
Low-dose oral isotretinoin and topical tretinoin cream therapy appear to be beneficial in the treatment of severe or recalcitrant rosacea. No additive benefit is noted with the combined use of these two modalities.

(Arch Dermatol. 1994;130:319-324)

Author Affiliations
From the Section of Dermatology, University of Arizona, Tucson (Drs Ertl and Levine), and the Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, (Dr Kligman).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Rosacea
Powell
NEJM 2005;352:793-803.
FULL TEXT  

Low-dose Oral Isotretinoin and Topical Tretinoin Effective for Rosacea
Journal Watch Dermatology 1994;1994:8-8.
FULL TEXT  

Rosacea: Pathophysiology and Treatment
Wilkin
Arch Dermatol 1994;130:359-362.
ABSTRACT