A recent study published in Pediatric Dermatology assessed the efficacy of topical 0.1% adapalene gel compared to 0.025% tretinoin cream in the treatment of childhood acanthosis nigricans (AN).

This was an eight-week, randomized, split-neck, comparative study between topical 0.1% adapalene gel and 0.025% tretinoin cream for the treatment of neck hyperpigmentation associated with AN. M index measured by a narrowband reflectance spectrophotometer and both investigators global evaluation (IGE) and parents global evaluation (PGE) scales were used to evaluate efficacy.

The findings revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between 0.1% adapalene gel and 0.025% tretinoin cream in the treatment of AN-associated hyperpigmentation. Mean differences in M indices between week 0 and week 8 of 0.1% adapalene and 0.025% tretinoin treatment were 24.2 ± 7.9% and 23.8 ± 8.3% improvement, respectively. Regarding treatment efficacy, 90.0% and 85.0% of participants had more than 75% improvement in IGE in 0.1% adapalene and 0.025% tretinoin treatment sides, respectively. Furthermore, 75.0% and 65.0% of participants had more than 75.0% improvement in PGE in 0.1% adapalene and 0.025% tretinoin treatment sides, respectively.

Hence, topical 0.1% adapalene gel and 0.025% tretinoin renderedequivalent results in treating childhood AN.

Source: Pediatric Dermatology. 2019 May;36(3):330-334.doi: 10.1111/pde.13799.