Publications by authors named "Mark Ling"
Acne vulgaris is a highly prevalent and multifactorial skin disorder that can adversely impact health-related quality of life. Factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of acne include pilosebaceous proliferation of proinflammatory () bacteria, presence of circulating androgens, excess sebum production, abnormal follicular keratinization, and multiple inflammatory cascades. Oral tetracyclines-especially doxycycline and minocycline-are frequently prescribed for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acne, given their anti-inflammatory properties and their effect on reduction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Routine use of doxycycline (DC) 100 mg for the treatment of moderate to severe acne may be associated with gastrointestinal adverse events (AEs), thus potentially impacting patient adherence, and antibiotic resistance. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of subantimicrobial, modified-release (MR) DC 40 mg compared to DC 100 mg and to placebo for the treatment of inflammatory lesions in moderate and severe acne.
Methods: 662 subjects aged 12 years or older with moderate to severe acne received subantimicrobial, MR-DC 40 mg tablets, DC 100 mg capsules, or placebo once daily for 16 weeks.
Background: Doxycycline calcium (WC2055) is a drug substance with a possible role in the treatment of acne. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of three doses of doxycycline calcium tablets compared with placebo in the treatment of moderate to severe inflammatory facial acne vulgaris.
Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, phase 2 dose-ranging study in subjects with moderate to severe inflammatory acne aged 12 years to 45 years.
Background: Acne pathogenesis is multifactorial and includes inflammation. Combining drugs targeting multiple components of acne pathogenesis is standard practice.
Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of dapsone gel 5%, an anti-inflammatory agent, in combination with tazarotene cream 0.
Background: There is a need for improved medical approaches to the treatment of actinic keratosis. Ingenol mebutate, a diterpene ester extracted and purified from the plant Euphorbia peplus, is being evaluated as a topical therapy for actinic keratosis.
Objective: Assess the efficacy and safety of ingenol mebutate (formerly PEP005) gel at 3 dosing regimens for the treatment of actinic keratosis.
Dapsone gel 5%, a topical formulation of dapsone, was shown to deliver clinically effective doses of dapsone with minimal systemic absorption in 2 randomized, vehicle-controlled, 12-week studies of patients with acne vulgaris. A 12-month, open-label, long-term safety study further evaluated the safety and efficacy of dapsone gel. Patients at least 12 years of age with acne vulgaris (N = 486) applied dapsone gel twice daily for up to 12 months.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: A shorter dosing regimen of imiquimod for the treatment of actinic keratosis may be effective, with long-term clinical benefits.
Objective: Imiquimod in one or two shorter courses of treatment was evaluated.
Methods: Patients with actinic keratosis lesions on the head applied imiquimod or vehicle cream 3x/wk for 4 weeks (course 1).
Background: The first gel formulation of ketoconazole has been tested in 2-week treatment courses.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new, once-daily, 2-week ketoconazole 2% gel treatment in moderate to severe seborrheic dermatitis.
Methods: Four hundred fifty-nine subjects with moderate to severe seborrheic dermatitis were randomized to receive ketoconazole 2% gel or vehicle gel once daily for 14 days.
Background: Pimecrolimus cream 1% (Elidel), a non-steroid inhibitor of inflammatory cytokines, is effective in the treatment of atopic dermatitis, without corticosteroid-related side effects such as skin atrophy. It is indicated for twice-daily application. More frequent applications might be expected either to enhance efficacy or increase toxicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Topical anesthetics offer a noninvasive method of anesthesia.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the lidocaine/tetracaine patch, a 1:1 (wt:wt) eutectic mixture of lidocaine and tetracaine, for local anesthesia before minor dermatologic procedures in geriatric patients.
Methods: In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 79 patients over the age of 65 years received a 30-minute application of either the lidocaine/tetracaine patch or placebo immediately before a shave biopsy or superficial excision.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 5% imiquimod cream compared with vehicle in the treatment of actinic keratosis (AK).
Design: Two phase 3 randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, vehicle-controlled studies.
Setting: Twenty-six ambulatory care offices, including dermatologists in private practice or research centers.
Background: Inverse psoriasis can be difficult to treat because of the high sensitivity of intertriginous areas to cutaneous side effects, such as irritation and striae. Pimecrolimus, a well-tolerated, nonatrophogenic, skin-selective inflammatory cytokine inhibitor, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of psoriasis when applied topically under occlusion.
Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of pimecrolimus cream 1% versus vehicle twice a day in the treatment of inverse psoriasis.
Background: Adverse changes in bone have been reported for patients undergoing high-dose, long-term (several years) isotretinoin therapy for disorders of cornification. The effect of short-term (4-5 months) therapy at the lower dose recommended for acne on bone development in younger, growing adolescent (12-17 years) patients has not been well studied.
Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of a standard, single course of isotretinoin (Accutane) therapy on bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and hip in adolescents ages 12 to 17 years with severe, recalcitrant, nodular acne.
Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using 20% wt/vol aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride (hereinafter "ALA") and visible blue light for the treatment of multiple actinic keratoses of the face and scalp.
Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled, uneven parallel-group study.
Interventions: Patients (N = 243) were randomized to receive vehicle or ALA followed within 14 to 18 hours by PDT.
Objective: To determine safety and efficacy of monotherapy with etanercept.
Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study.
Setting: Outpatient, ambulatory; private practice and university dermatology research centers.
Background: Phase I and Phase II studies in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis demonstrated that intravenous (IV) efalizumab improved clinical signs and symptoms and was well tolerated.
Objective: To determine if subcutaneous (SC) delivery of efalizumab improves chronic plaque psoriasis and demonstrates an acceptable safety profile.
Methods: This was a Phase I, open-label, single- and multiple-dose, escalating-dose study.
New therapeutic options would benefit patients with actinic keratosis (AK), a precancerous condition that is a significant health concern. The efficacy and safety of a microsphere-based formulation of 0.5% fluorouracil cream were evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, parallel-group study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of cutaneous infection in patients with atopic dermatitis treated with tacrolimus ointment.
Methods: Data for 1554 patients with atopic dermatitis, treated with tacrolimus ointment in 5 clinical trials, were analyzed.
Results: In 3 controlled studies, the 12-week adjusted incidence of all cutaneous infections in patients treated with the vehicle, 0.