Cochrane · systematic review · CD011154
Topical benzoyl peroxide for acne
Yang, Z, Zhang, Y, Lazic Mosler, E, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2020 · Cochrane Library
SkinAMSTAR 2: not assessed
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
15
current version
GRADE rated
13
No studies
2
Included studies
NR
No studies 2 · 13.3%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 8 · 53.3%Low 4 · 26.7%Moderate 1 · 6.7%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Benzoyl peroxide compared to placebo or no treatment for acne
Population: acne vulgaris
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Participant's global self‐assessment of improvement (long‐term data) Benzoyl peroxide vs placebo or no treatment | RR 1.27 [1.12, 1.45] | 3 studies · 2234 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency, publication bias |
Withdrawal due to adverse effects (long‐term data) Treatment duration: range 10 weeks to 12 weeks Benzoyl peroxide vs placebo or no treatment | RR 2.13 [1.55, 2.93] | 24 studies · 13744 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency, publication bias |
Total number of participants with any adverse events (long‐term data) Treatment duration: range 10 weeks to 12 weeks Benzoyl peroxide vs placebo or no treatment | RR 1.4 [1.15, 1.7] | 21 studies · 11028 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency, publication bias |
Benzoyl peroxide compared to adapalene for acne
Population: acne vulgaris
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Participant's global self‐assessment of improvement (long‐term data) Benzoyl peroxide vs adapalene | RR 0.99 [0.9, 1.1] | 5 studies · 1472 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, publication bias |
Withdrawal due to adverse effects (long‐term data) Treatment duration: range 11 weeks to 24 weeks Benzoyl peroxide vs adapalene | RR 1.85 [0.94, 3.64] | 11 studies · 3295 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, publication bias |
Total number of participants with any adverse events (long‐term data) Treatment duration: range 11 weeks to 24 weeks Benzoyl peroxide vs adapalene | RR 0.71 [0.5, 1] | 7 studies · 2120 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, publication bias |
Benzoyl peroxide compared to clindamycin for acne
Population: acne vulgaris
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Participant's global self‐assessment of improvement (long‐term data) Benzoyl peroxide vs clindamycin | RR 0.95 [0.68, 1.34] | 1 study · 240 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Withdrawal due to adverse effects (long‐term data) Treatment duration: range 10 weeks to 12 weeks Benzoyl peroxide vs clindamycin | RR 1.93 [0.9, 4.11] | 8 studies · 3330 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Total number of participants with any adverse events (long‐term data) Treatment duration: range 10 weeks to 12 weeks Benzoyl peroxide vs clindamycin | RR 1.24 [0.97, 1.58] | 6 studies · 3018 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Benzoyl peroxide compared to erythromycin for acne
Population: acne vulgaris
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Participant's global self‐assessment of improvement (long‐term data) ‐ not measured Benzoyl peroxide vs erythromycin | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Withdrawal due to adverse effects (medium‐term data) Treatment duration: 8 weeks Benzoyl peroxide vs erythromycin | RR 1 [0.07, 15.26] | 1 study · 60 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Total number of participants with any adverse events (long‐term data) Treatment duration: 10 weeks Benzoyl peroxide vs erythromycin | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 89 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Benzoyl peroxide compared to salicylic acid for acne
Population: acne vulgaris
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Participant's global self‐assessment of improvement (long‐term data) ‐ not measured Benzoyl peroxide vs salicylic acid | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Withdrawal due to adverse effects (long‐term data) Treatment duration: 12 weeks Benzoyl peroxide vs salicylic acid | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 59 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Total number of participants with any adverse events (medium‐term data) Treatment duration: 6 weeks Benzoyl peroxide vs salicylic acid | RR 4.77 [0.24, 93.67] | 1 study · 41 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |