WEDNESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Daily doxycycline reduces the number of facial inflammatory lesions in patients with moderate-to-severe rosacea, according to the results of a study published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
James Q. Del Rosso, D.O., from the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Las Vegas, and colleagues randomized a total of 537 patients with moderate-to-severe rosacea (in two parallel studies) to placebo or 40-mg controlled-release doxycycline daily for 16 weeks.
The researchers found that the number of facial lesions fell significantly in patients receiving doxycycline. From a baseline of 20 lesions, the number of lesions fell by 11.5 and 9.5 in the doxycycline groups in the two studies compared with 5.9 and 4.3 in the respective placebo groups. Doxycycline was well tolerated, with nasopharyngitis, diarrhea and headache being the most common adverse events.
"The results
demonstrate that anti-inflammatory dose doxycycline administered once daily appears to be effective and safe for the treatment of moderate-to-severe papulopustular rosacea," Del Rosso and colleagues conclude.
The study was supported by CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
