Comparative study between oral azithromycin and erythromycin in male patients with severe papulopustular acne

Abstract EN

Acne vulgaris is a common disorders affecting79-95% of the adolescent population .

Azithromycin is one of systemic antibiotic that has been recently prescribed for treatment of acne.

This nitrogen- containing macrolide is a methyl derivative of erythromycin.

Aim of work: To compare between the effect of oral azithromycin and erythromycin in male patients with severe papulo pustular acne treated with topical benzoyl peroxide and erythromycin drugs.

Patients and methods: Fourty male patients were divided into two equal groups, the first were given oral azithromycin and the second were given erythromycin , both groups were treated with a topical erythromycin and benzoyl peroxide gel .The patients responses evaluated in each visit at the end of 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment .

Results: Although there was more reduction in the mean acne global score showed in the group 1 when compared with the group 2 , this difference was not a statistically significant, P>0.05.

This study also showed that 85% of patients who completed the treatment had a positive response in a group 1 in a comparison to 75% in a group 2.

Conclusion: There was a better clinical improvement in patients treated with azithromycin , but not to a statistically significant level.