Comparison of efficacy of two topical drug therapy of acne vulgaris – 1% clindamycin versus 5% dapsone: A split face comparative study

Background: Acne vulgaris is common skin problem for adolescents and young adults. Topical clindamycin is an established treatment modality effective in mild-to-moderate acne. Dapsone has been used orally for the treatment of acne but used less due to its systemic side effects. Topical dapsone may offer new treatment option for acne vulgaris due to its dual anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effect. Aim and Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of 1% clindamycin gel with 5% dapsone gel in the patient of Grade II acne vulgaris. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective interventional study with split face comparative study design. Each patient was received a pair of labeled tubes of medication – Right (Rt) side containing clindamycin 1% and left (Lt) side containing dapsone gel 5%. The assessment was done by calculating the change from baseline, after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of the total lesion count and both inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions using repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: A total of 40 patients were included in the study. Both inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesion count reduce significantly at the end of 4, 8, and 12 weeks on both side (P < 0.05). Mean reduction in total count of lesions after 12 weeks of therapy by dapsone 5% was 5.4 ± 5.05 (50.0%), while by clindamycin 1% gel was 5.0 ± 2.76 (50.5%). Conclusion: Dapsone 5% gel monotherapy and clindamycin 1% gel monotherapy have almost equal efficacy when compared after 12 weeks of therapy, but dapsone 5% gel therapy is slightly better effect on inflammatory lesions than clindamycin 1% gel.