Treatment failure of patients using topical acne treatments: an observational retrospective cohort study

While limited data from clinical trials show differences in efficacy between topical acne combination products and monotherapies, the impact in clinical practice is not explored.

To evaluate the effectiveness in clinical practice of prescribing topical acne combination treatments compared to monotherapy product(s) in minimizing treatment failures.

Patients diagnosed with acne (ICD-9: 706.1) by a dermatologist between January 2009 and September 2011 and initially prescribed a topical acne treatment were identified. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were employed to compare the hazards of treatment failure for patients initially prescribed a combination product versus one monotherapy or multiple monotherapies. Subgroup analyses were also performed.

Three hundred and thirty-five patients were initially prescribed topical product(s) exclusively. The hazards of treatment failure for those prescribed a combination product compared to those prescribed one monotherapy product was HR = 0.91 (p = 0.65) and compared to those prescribed multiple monotherapy products was HR = 0.73 (p = 0.17).

Disease severity and treatments prescribed outside of the hospital system were not available.

Treatment failures were consistent for patients prescribed combination product(s) or monotherapies.