Effat Khodaeiani
1*, Javad Shokri
2, Mahdi Amirnia
1, Morteza Ghojazadeh
3, Azimeh Dalili
1, Armagan Garehagaji Zareh
11 Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
2 Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
3 Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract
Backgrounds and Objectives: Different drugs have been used in acne vulgaris treatment but their effectiveness are not well known yet. Current study was aimed to evaluate therapeutic effects of doxycycline and zinc sulfate in acne treatment. Material and Methods: In a double-blind randomized clinical trial study, 78 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris were divided in two groups: A) receiving 100 mg doxycycline daily, and B) receiving 30 mg elemental zinc. All patients received similar topical antibiotic. Inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions score, side effects, serum zinc levels and patients’ satisfaction of therapies during study were evaluated between groups at beginning of trial, 4th, 8th and 12th weeks. Results: Changes in mean inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions score was statistically different in each group, but the difference between groups was not significant. Reduction in total lesion score was significantly higher in group A comparing with group B (p<0.001). Patients’ satisfaction rate in group A group was higher than group B. Complication rate was significantly higher in doxycycline group than zinc sulfate group at the 8th week (p=0.04). The serum zinc level change was not significant in each group, but the difference between groups was significant (p=0.03). Conclusion: Oral zinc and doxycycline both are effective and recommended for treating the acne vulgaris.