Clinical efficacy and tolerance of 1% nadifloxacin cream in the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris in South Korea

Background: Antimicrobials have been a mainstay of inflammatory acne treatment for more than 30 years. However, antibiotic-resistant propionibacteria had been isolated with increased frequency, and associated with failure to respond to antibiotic therapy. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy and tolerance of 1% nadifloxacin cream. Methods: In the final analysis, 197 patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris were enrolled. The patients were instructed to apply 1% nadifloxacin cream twice daily to the affected skin after washing the face. Following 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, patients were observed for clinical response: number of the acne lesions, Korea acne grading system (KAGS), global improvement, and occurrence of adverse reactions. Results: During 4 weeks of treatment, nadifloxacin caused significant reduction in the number of inflamed papulo-pustular lesions and open/closed comedones. In addition, significant reduction of KAGS was observed. About 96% of patients showed clinical improvement in the overall evaluation of the therapeutic effect by physicians. All reported adverse events were mild. Conclusion: This study shows that 1% nadifloxacin cream can be an effective and safe treatment for mild to moderate acne vulgaris.