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13-cis-retinoic acid in conglobate acne. A follow-up study of 14 trial centers

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Summary

A follow-up was done on the patients of the German multicenter study with severe conglobate acne who had been treated with different dosages of 13-cis-retinoic acid. Eighty-seven patients were monitored from 12 to 21 months. Optimal long-term therapeutic effects were obtained with an initial dose of 1.0 mg/kg body weight, for 3 months, followed by another 3-month-treatment period with 0.2 mg/kg body weight. Six months after the termination of therapy 96% of the patients were still in remission and 81% after 12 months. Comparative figures for the administration of doses were 84% as opposed to 47% (0.5 → 0.2 mg/kg body wt.) and 74% as opposed to 37% (0.2 → 0.2 mg/kg body wt.), respectively. It is suggested from the present data that a high initial dosage of 13-cis-retinoic acid be chosen in order to obtain optimal long-term therapeutic effects. Transiently elevated lipid levels as well as other tolerable side effects return to normal within 3 months at the latest after discontinuation of treatment.

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Investigators and Departments of Dermatology: City Hospital Augsburg: Beck G, Nikolowski W; University of Berlin, Steglitz: Gollnick H, Orfanos CE; University of Berlin, Rudolf-Virchow: Schweitzer U, Stüttgen G; University of Cologne: Enderer K, Steigleder GK; University of Düsseldorf: Schneider-neuenburg M, Goerz G, Greither A; University of Erlangen: Schell H, Hornstein OP; University of Gießen: Paul E, Illig L; University of Hamburg: Hoting E, Meigel W, Nasemann Th; University of Hannover: Zienau D, Marghescu S; City Hospital Mannheim: Vogt G, Seiler W, Jung EG; City Hospital Munich, Schwabing: Agathos M, Bandmann HJ; University of Munich, L. Maximilian: Plewig G, Braun-Falco O; Technical University of Munich: Vogt HJ, Borelli S; University of Tübingen: Cörlin R, Rassner G

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Hennes, R., Mack, A., Schell, H. et al. 13-cis-retinoic acid in conglobate acne. A follow-up study of 14 trial centers. Arch Dermatol Res 276, 209–215 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00414230

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