THE EFFECTS OF CTR-24, A BIPHASIC ORAL-CONTRACEPTIVE COMBINATION, COMPARED TO DIANE-35 IN WOMEN WITH ACNE

One-hundued-and-eighty-three women were enrolled in an open, randomize d, multicentre study in which the effects on acne of a low-dose biphas ic oral contraceptive containing a daily dosage of 25 mu g desogestrel and 40 mu g ethinylestradiol (7 days) and a daily dosage of 125 mu g desogestrel and 30 mu g ethinylestradiol (15 days) were compared to Di ane-35 containing a daily dosage of 2.0 mg cyproterone acetate and 30 mu g ethinylestradiol (21 days) during four cycles of treatment. clini cal and photographic evaluation of acne plus laboratory assessments we re done before treatment and at the end of cycle 4. A reduction with r egard to the number of lesions and the degree of severity was observed in both groups. No differences were found between the two treatments in the clinical and photographic evaluation. In both treatment groups, a decrease in total testosterone and 3 alpha-17 beta-androstanediol g lucuronide was observed and an increase in SHBG. The decrease in 3 alp ha-17 beta-androstanediol was statistically significantly more pronoun ced in the Diane-35 group.