Treatment of acne vulgaris with oral tetracyclines

Forty four patients with moderately severe and severe acne were put on treatment with either tetracycline 1g daily (21 patients) or minocycline 100 mg daily (23 patients). Patients were assessed at 6 and 12 weeks by calculating the reduction of the acne lesion score. At 6 weeks with minocycline 47.6% of the patients showed a good response, with tetracycline none of the patients showed a comparable response and the difference in the 2 therapeutic groups was statistically significant (p<0.01). However, at 12 weeks the response of acne was comparable with the 2 drugs. With tetracycline 70.4% patients and with minocycline 69.6% patients showed a good to excellent response. Similarly, at 6 weeks the mean reduction in acne lesion score was significantly better with minocycline than with tetracycline, but at 12 weeks the response was comparable with the 2 drugs.