A cross-sectional study of prescription pattern of drugs used in the treatment of acne vulgaris at a tertiary care hospital in India

Background: Acne vulgaris is a common dermatological disease affecting 85% of adolescents across the globe with 40% having persistent acne well into their twenties. Acne and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation often negatively impact self-perception, social interactions, and affect quality of life scores in adolescents. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prescription pattern of drugs used in the treatment of acne to find out the current prescribing practices relating to comprehensive care being provided at a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional and observational study conducted after getting approval of Institutional Ethics Committee on 135 patients of either sex and age more than 12 and ?40 years diagnosed with acne. Results: Data of 135 prescriptions of acne patients were analyzed. Most patients presented with Grade 2 (n = 56; 41.5%) acne followed by Grade 3 acne (n = 40; 29.6%) patients. The average numbers of drugs per prescription was 3.87. Out of 522 drugs prescribed, 436 (83.5%) were topical and 86 (16.5%) were oral formulations. Among topical formulations, most frequently prescribed drug was tretinoin prescribed to 92 (68.1%) patients whereas, doxycycline was the most preferred oral antibiotic prescribed to 66 (48.9%) patients. Conclusion: The study revealed that drugs prescribed were found to be in accordance with the treatment guidelines proposed by Indian dermatologists and American Academy of Dermatology.