EVALUATION OF TREATMENT OUTCOMES OF MODERATE-TOSEVERE ACNE VULGARIS WITH LOW-DOSE ISOTRETINOIN AT CAN THO DERMATO-VENEREOLOGY IN 2024-2026
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Abstract
Background: Acne vulgaris is a common chronic dermatologic condition that significantly affects patients’ quality of life and psychological well-being. Isotretinoin remains the most effective treatment for moderate-to-severe acne; however, the conventional dosage is frequently associated with multiple adverse effects. As adverse effects correlate with dosage, clinicians increasingly consider low-dose isotretinoin for its favorable balance between efficacy and safety. However, evidence on low-dose isotretinoin in Vietnam remains limited. Objective: To evaluate the treatment outcomes of low-dose isotretinoin in patients with moderate to severe acne vulgaris. Materials and methods: A prospective descriptive study involving 112 patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe acne vulgaris and treated at Can Tho Dermato-Venereology Hospital from June 2024 to January 2026. Results: The study included 112 patients with a mean age of 19.88±4.79 years; 54.5% were female. The mean isotretinoin dose was 0.292±0.059 mg/kg/day. The baseline GAGS score was 29.72±4.94 and significantly decreased to 6.90±3.16 after 12 weeks of treatment (p<0.001). The total lesion count also declined significantly from 75.36±24.22 to 24.47±8.57 at week 12 (p<0.001). A total of 69.6% of patients achieved a “Good” or higher clinical response, whereas only two patients (1.8%), both initially classified as severe, demonstrated a moderate response. The most common adverse effect was cheilitis (99.1%), followed by xerosis (65.2%) and skin scaling (21.4%). Other adverse events, including musculoskeletal pain (8.9%), acne flare (8.9%), epistaxis (6.3%), and hair loss (3.6%), occurred at low rates, and no serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion: Low-dose isotretinoin (0.2–0.4 mg/kg/day) provides significant clinical improvement in patients with moderateto-severe acne vulgaris after 12 weeks of treatment, with a high response rate and good tolerability. This regimen represents a safe and effective therapeutic option in clinical practice.
Keywords
Isotretinoin, low-dose isotretinoin, acne vulgaris
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References
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