Effectiveness of Conventional, Low-Dose, and Intermittent Oral Isotretinoin in the Treatment of Acne: A Randomized, Controlled Comparative Study

The document presents a randomized, controlled comparative study evaluating the effectiveness of conventional, low-dose, and intermittent oral isotretinoin in the treatment of moderate acne. The study involved 60 Korean patients with moderate acne who were divided into three groups: Group A received 0.5-1.0 mg/kg daily, Group B received 0.25-0.4 mg/kg daily, and Group C received 0.5-0.7 mg/kg daily for 1 week out of every 4 weeks. The study lasted 24 weeks for Groups A and B, and 6 weeks for Group C. The results showed that conventional and low-dose regimens had similar efficacy in reducing acne severity, while the intermittent treatment was less effective. Patient satisfaction was highest with the low-dose regimen, and side effects were more frequent with the conventional treatment. One year after treatment, relapse rates were higher in Group C compared to Groups A and B. The study concluded that low-dose isotretinoin treatment is most suitable for patients with moderate acne, considering tolerability, efficacy, and patient satisfaction.