Overall results of the BEST study following treatment of patients with mild to moderate acne.

In patients with acne, assurance of satisfaction with therapy is a significant factor in helping patients cope with their condition. Therefore, the BenzaClin (benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin topical gel) Efficacy and Satisfaction Trial (BEST) was developed to evaluate patient satisfaction following 8 weeks of treatment with benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin topical gel in patients with mild to moderate acne who were dissatisfied with their current acne therapy. Additional evaluations included efficacy, evaluated with the Global Acne Grading System (GAGS), and the impact of therapy on the social aspects of living with acne, measured with the Acne Quality of Life (AQOL) scale. Results demonstrated significant improvements for all study variables. Patient satisfaction, which was rated from 0 (not satisfied) to 10 (very satisfied) increased almost 3-fold from baseline to week 8 (P < or = .0001). The mean overall AQOL score also improved significantly by a mean of 2.2 points (P < .0001). Acne severity was reduced to almost half of its baseline value (measured using the GAGS score), indicating a significant treatment effect of benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin topical gel (P < or = .0001). Furthermore, as indicated by the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) performed at week 8, acne improved in 94% of patients. Improved patient satisfaction was most likely related to the significant improvements in both efficacy and quality of life (QOL). Overall results of the study suggest that benzoyl peroxide/ clindamycin topical gel is effective for the treatment of acne in patients who are dissatisfied with their current therapy.