Roberts, Erin E

AbstractBackground/objectivesStudies assessing the utility of spironolactone for treating acne in adolescent females are lacking. Thus, we sought to examine spironolactone's role in treating this patient population.MethodsA retrospective review was performed to determine the efficacy of spironolactone treatment in adolescent females seen at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, from 2007 to 2017.ResultsIn a cohort of 80 pediatric patients with a median age of 19 years (range, 14‐20 years), 64 patients (80%) experienced improvement of acne on treatment with spironolactone (median dose, 100 mg daily) with a favorable side effect profile. Approximately a quarter of patients (22.5%) had a complete response; more than half (58.8%) had a complete response or a partial response greater than 50%. Initial and maximal responses were observed at a median of 3 months and 5 months, respectively. Patients received treatment with spironolactone for a median duration of 7 months (range, 3‐45 months) with limited side effects.ConclusionsSpironolactone demonstrated efficacy in treating acne in adolescent females and is a safe long‐term alternative to systemic antibiotics in these patients.