Tetracycline Hydrochloride in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris

Abstract

Several studies using antibiotics in the treatment of acne have been reported in the literature.^* The rationale for this type of therapeutic attack is found in an attempt to control the bacteriological phase of the hormonal-bacterial etiology of acne.† In spite of increasing understanding of the pathogenesis of acne, attempts to restore the integrity of the human organism by the use of therapeutic agents have been somewhat disappointing. The results of long-term tetracycline hydrochloride ‡ therapy in the treatment of 72 cases of acne are reported in this paper. Using an acne lesion counting system for control, statistically significant results were observed in 65 out of 72 patients so treated. Attention was paid to the tetracycline sensitivity of the invading organisms in relation to the clinical response and the development of undesirable side-reactions from prolonged tetracycline therapy. Individual types of clinical response to therapy are discussed. METHODS AND