Combination of azelaic acid 5 and erythromycin 2 in the treatment of acne vulgaris

Introduction: Acne vulgaris is a common problem, particularly among adolescents, which is usually resistant to monotherapy. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a combination of azelaic acid (AA) 5 and erythromycin 2 gel (AzE) compared with AA 20 or erythromycin 2 gels in facial acne vulgaris.Methods: We conducted a 12-week, multicenter, randomized double-blind study on 147 patients with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris. Four treatment group were determined (placebo, erythromycin, AA and AzE) and followed in 4-week intervals for 12 weeks, except the placebo group which was changed to routine treatment after 4 weeks.Results: The combination of AA 5 and erythromycin 2 gel significantly reduced the number of papules, pustules and comedones compared with placebo (p <0.001), erythromycin 2 (p <0.01) or AA 20 (p <0.05). The incidence of adverse effects observed in patients treated with AzE (27) was less than that with erythromycin 2 (54) and AA 20 (45).Conclusions: The combination of AA 5 and erythromycin 2 produced more potent therapeutic effects in comparison with erythromycin 2 or AA 20 alone, and with fewer side effects. © 2010 Informa UK Ltd