JAMA Dermatol

More isotretinoin, better acne outcomes? Study reveals impact of cumulative dosage

January 23, 2025

Optimizing cumulative isotretinoin dosage could reduce the likelihood of acne relapse and the need for retrial, particularly in female patients. Daily dose, however, isn’t associated with decreased rates of relapse and retrial; therefore, daily dosing could be individualized to patient goals and preferences.

Study details: This cohort study analyzed data from the MarketScan commercial claims database (2017-2020) to assess acne relapse and isotretinoin retrial rates among 19,907 patients ≥12 years who completed ≥4 months of isotretinoin treatment and had continuous enrollment for ≥1 year post-treatment.

Results: Higher cumulative dosages of isotretinoin were significantly associated with lower relapse rates (hazard ratio [HR], 0.996) and retrial rates (HR, 0.99), while female sex was linked to higher relapse rates (HR, 1.43) but lower retrial rates (HR, 0.68). Daily dose didn’t significantly impact relapse or retrial rates among patients with cumulative dosages of ≥120 mg/kg.

Source:

Lai J, et al. (2025, January 15). JAMA Dermatol. Acne Relapse and Isotretinoin Retrial in Patients With Acne. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39813053/