ABSTRACT
Objective: to assess the efficacy of benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin combination therapy with benzoyl peroxide alone in the treatment of acne vulgaris
Methods: a clinical trial was carried out in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University [BSMMU], Dhaka. The study duration was from July 2013 to December 2013. Total sixty patients of clinically diagnosed mild to moderate acne was enrolled and thirty of group A patients were treated by benzoyl peroxide alone and thirty of group B patients were treated by benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin combination therapy
Results: at baseline mean number of comedones in group A and group B was 12.77 +/- 4.01 and 11.80 +/- 3.93, respectively [p=0.350] and at final follow-up 4.17 +/- 4.02 and 3.47 +/- 4.00 [p>0.05]. At baseline mean number of papules in group A and group B was 17.30 +/- 10.29 and 18.57 +/- 13.88, respectively [p=0.690] and at final follow-up 7.63 +/- 8.08 and 7.73 +/- 9.98 [p>0.05]. At baseline mean number of pustules in group A and group B was 0.50 +/- 1.33 and 0.53 +/- 1.28, respectively [p=0.922] and at final follow-up 0.07 +/- 0.37 and 0.00 [p>0.05]. At baseline mean of total acne score was 30.57 +/- 13.62 and 30.90 +/- 17.17 in group A and B and at final follow-up it was 11.87 +/- 12.04 and 11.20 +/- 13.85, respectively in group A and B [p>0.05]. Percent reduction of acne severity from baseline to final follow-up was 69.20 +/- 23.41 in-group A and 74.77 +/- 23.30 in-group B [p=0.360]. At final follow-up 56.7% of group A and 63.3% of group B achieved excellent response and 13.3% of group A and 16.7% of group B achieved good response
Conclusion: it can be concluded that the drug, benzoyl peroxide when used individually, was found to be effective in the treatment of acne, but the combination of the two clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide was found to be superior in efficacy