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Text reminders not linked to improved acne medication adherence

Similar rates of acne medication adherence were observed in patients who received twice-daily text message reminders to apply the medications and for patients who did not receive the messages, according to recent results.

Researchers from several sites in the United States established the study to determine whether daily automated text messages would yield increases in adherence to topical acne medications and, consequently, better care of the condition.

There were 40 participants in the analysis. Eligibility criteria included mild to moderate acne.

The treatment regimen was a 12-week course of clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide 1%/5% gel in the mornings and adapalene 0.3% gel in the evenings.

An electronic Medication Event Monitoring System cap (MEMS, Aardex Group, Sion) was fitted to each tube of medication. The system recorded the date and time whenever the tube was opened or closed.

Half of the cohort was randomly assigned customized twice-daily text messages with instructions to apply the morning and evening medications. The control population included the other 20 participants, who did not receive messages.

The mean adherence rate for the correct application of both medications was 33.9% in the study group and 36.5% among controls (P=.75), according to the results. Similar improvements in patients’ acne were observed in both groups.

The researchers concluded that the text reminders were not linked to increased adherence or improved therapeutic response. They also said the small sample size may have limited the differences measured between the study groups.