ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with oral isotretinoin in the treatment of moderate to severe acne.Methods:Ninty patients with moderate and severe acne [42 males and 48 females; aged 18-35 (23.98±4.25)] in the Department of Dermatology, China Japan Friendship Hospital of Jilin University from January to June, 2018, were divided into three groups: PDT combined with isotretinoin group (combined group), PDT group and isotretinoin group, with 30 patients in each group. The curative effect was evaluated on the 30th and 60th day of the treatment and the follow-up was carried out regularly.Results:At 10, 20, and 30 days of the treatment, the clearance rates of non-inflammatory skin lesions and total skin lesions were better than that of the PDT group; the clearance rates of inflammatory, non-inflammatory and total skin lesions in the combined group were better than those of the isotretinoin group. At 30 days of treatment, the efficacy of the combined group was better than that of the PDT group (χ 2=13.169, P<0.05) and isotretinoin group (χ 2=19.606, P<0.05). The treatment course of the combined group was shorter than that of the PDT group ( P<0.05). Six months after the treatment, the recurrence rate of the combined group was lower than that of the isotretinoin group (χ 2=4.941, P<0.05). And there was no significant difference of the incidence of adverse reactions between the above two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The combination of photodynamic therapy and oral isotretinoin therapy for moderate to severe acne can improve the efficacy, shorten the course of treatment, and reduce the recurrence rate and adverse reactions, which provides a new idea for the treatment of acne.