Histological effects of tazarotene 0.1% cream vs. vehicle on photodamaged skin: a 6-month, multicentre, double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled study in patients with photodamaged facial skin.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Topical tazarotene has been shown to offer efficacy in ameliorating multiple effects of photodamage.

OBJECTIVES:

To evaluate the histological effects of tazarotene cream on photodamaged skin.

METHODS:

In this multicentre, double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled study, 50 patients with photodamaged facial skin (at least mild fine wrinkling and mottled hyperpigmentation, with at least one of these being moderate) were randomized to apply tazarotene 0.1% cream or vehicle cream to their face, once daily for 24 weeks.

RESULTS:

Blinded assessments showed that tazarotene was less likely than vehicle to be associated with an increase in keratinocytic and melanocytic atypia, and more likely than vehicle to be associated with a reduction in atypia. Between-group comparisons in distribution of change from baseline categories of severity were in favour of tazarotene (P = 0.055 for keratinocytic atypia, P = 0.034 for melanocytic atypia, and P < 0.001 for the number of granular cell layers). Compared with vehicle, tazarotene was associated with an increase in epidermal polarity (P = 0.008) and epidermal thickness (P = 0.012), and a tendency for stratum corneum compaction. Tazarotene was also associated with widened intercellular spaces (reported as epidermal oedema) relative to vehicle (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Treatment of photodamaged skin with tazarotene is associated with an amelioration of keratinocytic and melanocytic atypia, an improvement in epidermal polarity, and an increase in epidermal thickness.

• Authors: L A Machtinger, K Kaidbey, J Lim, K H Loven, T E Rist, D C Wilson, D D Parizadeh, J Sefton, J M Holland, P S Walker
• Journal: The British journal of dermatology (Br J Dermatol) Vol. 151 Issue 6 Pg. 1245-52 (Dec 2004) ISSN: 0007-0963 [Print] England
• PMID: 15606521 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Keratolytic Agents
• Nicotinic Acids
• Pharmaceutical Vehicles
• tazarotene

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Double-Blind Method
• Facial Dermatoses (drug therapy, pathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Hyperpigmentation (drug therapy, pathology)
• Keratinocytes (pathology)
• Keratolytic Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Male
• Melanocytes (pathology)
• Middle Aged
• Nicotinic Acids (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Pharmaceutical Vehicles (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Severity of Illness Index
• Skin Aging (drug effects, pathology)
• Treatment Outcome