2.5-PERCENT SOLUTION OF FLUTAMIDE (A NONSTEROIDAL ANTIANDROGEN) IN THE TOPICAL TREATMENT OF ACNE-VULGARIS - A DOUBLE-BLIND RANDOMIZED STUDY

This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of a topically applied 2.5% solution of flutamide (a nonsteroidal antiandrogen) vers us its placebo vehicle in the treatment of acne vulgaris. A total of 8 0 patients (33 males and 47 females) were treated for a period of 16 w eeks. Inflammatory lesions (papules, pustules and nodules combined) re sponded better to flutamide (-56.7%) than to placebo (-36.7%; P=0.01). There was no meaningful difference between the effect of flutamide (- 48.6%) and of placebo (-45.3%) on noninflammatory lesions (comedones). A relatively high level of local side-effects such as scaling burning /stinging, pruritus, erythema and vesicles were observed in both the f lutamide (60.0%) and the placebo (56.4%) groups. However, there were n o systemic side-effects reported. This first clinical study demonstrat ed that flutamide 2.5% solution is effective in the topical treatment of acne vulgaris.