Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39509291›Full record

SynthesisJournal of cosmetic dermatology2025

Isotretinoin Combined Laser/Light-Based Treatments Versus Isotretinoin Alone for the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris: A Meta-Analysis.

Shi-Xin He, Yi Wang, Jun Wang, Li Tang, Li Yang, Fei-Lun Ye

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisComparative StudySystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Shi-Xin HeDepartment of Medical Cosmetology, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5378-963X
Yi WangDepartment of Medical Cosmetology, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7568-6692
Jun WangDepartment of Medical Cosmetology, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4586-6948
Li TangDepartment of Medical Cosmetology, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0144-4997
Li YangDepartment of Medical Cosmetology, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3025-5203
Fei-Lun YeDepartment of Medical Cosmetology, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9065-7659

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of oral isotretinoin with and without laser/light-based treatments for acne.

methodsThis study was conducted under the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines; this meta-analysis utilized data from PubMed, EMBASE, ClinicalTrial.gov, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials until December 2023. We evaluated clinical improvement, lesion reduction, adverse events, as well as intraoperative and postoperative discomfort rates. Analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3.

resultsThis review included six articles with a total of 285 patients. Isotretinoin combined with laser/light therapy outperformed in clinical improvement rates, significantly reducing acne vulgaris and acne scars lesions compared to isotretinoin alone. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups.

conclusionThe study suggests that combining isotretinoin with laser/light-based therapy for acne yields superior efficacy and satisfaction without increased complications (e.g., dryness, hyperpigmentation, and scarring). However, patients experience notable treatment-related discomfort.

Indexed as

Acne VulgarisDermatologic AgentsIsotretinoinLaser TherapyLow-Level Light TherapyAdministration, OralCicatrixCombined Modality TherapyHumansPatient SatisfactionTreatment OutcomeDermatologic AgentsIsotretinoinacne vulgariscombined treatmentisotretinoinlaser therapylight‐based treatmentmeta‐analysis

Identifiers

PMID39509291
PMCPMC11743250

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.