{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]],"date-time":"2026-01-12T08:44:13Z","timestamp":1768207453060,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]],"date-time":"2026-01-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768176000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Acne conglobata (AC) is a severe inflammatory skin condition with limited therapeutic options that can provide rapid and sustained remission. This retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of a combination therapy of twice-weekly red-blue light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy with a shortened 4-week course of oral minocycline, compared to a conventional polypharmacy regimen for AC.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      We analyzed clinical data from 28 outpatients diagnosed with AC. The study group (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f15) received LED phototherapy (640\u202fnm red and 460\u202fnm blue light) and oral minocycline (100\u202fmg\/day for 4\u202fweeks). The control group (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f13) was treated with a heterogeneous conventional regimen, including oral isotretinoin and\/or extended minocycline (8\u202fweeks) plus topical agents. Efficacy outcomes, including Symptom Score Reduction Index (SSRI), Global Acne Grading System (GAGS), and Pruritus Visual Analog Scale (P-VAS), were assessed by blinded dermatologists at baseline and over 8\u202fweeks. Safety and tolerability were also evaluated.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. The LED-minocycline combination resulted in significantly superior and more rapid clinical improvement. At week 8, 100% of patients in the study group achieved cure (SSRI \u226590%), versus 0% in the control group (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.001). The mean SSRI in the study group was 92.1\u202f\u00b1\u202f2.37% compared to 23.1\u202f\u00b1\u202f4.35% in the control group (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.001). The study group also showed significantly lower post-treatment GAGS scores (7.01\u202f\u00b1\u202f2.01 vs. 9.03\u202f\u00b1\u202f2.36,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f0.022) and P-VAS scores (1.2\u202f\u00b1\u202f0.6 vs. 4.8\u202f\u00b1\u202f1.1,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.001). Adverse events were mild and transient, with no significant difference in the incidence of skin irritation between groups (93.3% vs. 84.6%,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f0.583).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Combining red-blue LED phototherapy with a 4-week course of minocycline is a rapid, highly effective, and safe therapeutic strategy for AC, outperforming conventional polypharmacy while halving the duration of systemic antibiotic exposure. Despite the inherent limitations of a retrospective design, these findings support the integration of LED therapy to optimize the management of severe acne.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2025.1708077","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]],"date-time":"2026-01-12T05:39:52Z","timestamp":1768196392000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The efficacy of red and blue light-emitting diode phototherapy combined with oral minocycline for acne conglobata: a retrospective cohort study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Yonghong","family":"Hao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xiaofang","family":"Zou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yixuan","family":"Gao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Liyuan","family":"Xing","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chengxin","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","article-title":"Acne Conglobata","author":"Hafsi","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1111\/jdv.15043","article-title":"Cutibacterium acnes (Propionibacterium acnes) and acne vulgaris: a brief look at the latest updates","volume":"32","author":"Dr\u00e9no","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"S1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2017.09.078","article-title":"Practical management of acne for clinicians: an international consensus from the global Alliance to improve outcomes in acne","volume":"78","author":"Thiboutot","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Am Acad Dermatol"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1525-1470.1991.tb00856.x","article-title":"Psychologic aspects of acne","volume":"8","author":"Koo","year":"1991","journal-title":"Pediatr Dermatol"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"532","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2020.02.040","article-title":"Acne vulgaris and risk of depression and anxiety: a meta-analytic review","volume":"83","author":"Samuels","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Am Acad Dermatol"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-3083.2011.04374.x","article-title":"European evidence-based (S3) guidelines for the treatment of acne","volume":"26","author":"Nast","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e23","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(15)00527-7","article-title":"Systematic review of antibiotic resistance in acne: an increasing topical and oral threat","volume":"16","author":"Walsh","year":"2016","journal-title":"Lancet Infect Dis"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1016\/S0923-1811(02)00068-3","article-title":"Acne phototherapy with a high-intensity, enhanced, narrow-band, blue light source: an open study and in vitro investigation","volume":"30","author":"Kawada","year":"2002","journal-title":"J Dermatol Sci"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1425675","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2024.1425675","article-title":"Acne treatment: research progress and new perspectives","volume":"11","author":"Li","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Med"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1111\/phpp.12841","article-title":"Utilization of light-emitting diodes for skin therapy: systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"39","author":"Ngoc","year":"2023","journal-title":"Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"806","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.39335.541782.AD","article-title":"Strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies","volume":"335","author":"von Elm","year":"2007","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"583","DOI":"10.3760\/cma.j.issn.1000-4963.2019.09.006","article-title":"Guidelines for the management of acne vulgaris in China (2019 revised edition)","volume":"48","author":"Ju","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Clin. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1007\/s40257-020-00508-0","article-title":"Optimizing Isotretinoin treatment of acne: update on current recommendations for monitoring, dosing, safety, adverse effects, compliance, and outcomes","volume":"21","author":"Landis","year":"2020","journal-title":"Am J Clin Dermatol"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"757","DOI":"10.3390\/antibiotics10070757","article-title":"A review of systemic minocycline side effects and topical minocycline as a safer alternative for treating acne and rosacea","volume":"10","author":"Martins","year":"2021","journal-title":"Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1001\/jamadermatol.2015.3091","article-title":"Laboratory monitoring during isotretinoin therapy for acne: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"152","author":"Lee","year":"2016","journal-title":"JAMA Dermatol"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"416","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-4362.1997.00099.x","article-title":"A comparison of current acne grading systems and proposal of a novel system","volume":"36","author":"Doshi","year":"1997","journal-title":"Int J Dermatol"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"210","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2230.1994.tb01167.x","article-title":"Dermatology life quality index (DLQI)--a simple practical measure for routine clinical use","volume":"19","author":"Finlay","year":"1994","journal-title":"Clin Exp Dermatol"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.2165\/11319280-000000000-00000","article-title":"Minocycline in acne vulgaris: benefits and risks","volume":"11","author":"Ochsendorf","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am J Clin Dermatol"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1193","DOI":"10.2147\/CCID.S457960","article-title":"Ozonated hydrotherapy combined with LED yellow light irradiation and Oral minocycline treatment for mild to moderate Papulopustular Rosacea: a comparative retrospective study","volume":"17","author":"Wei","year":"2024","journal-title":"Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e9366","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000009366","article-title":"Efficacy of photodynamic therapy combined with minocycline for treatment of moderate to severe facial acne vulgaris and influence on quality of life","volume":"96","author":"Xu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"key":"ref21","first-page":"8427","article-title":"Effect of minocycline hydrochloride combined with photodynamic therapy on skin barrier function of patients with acne","volume":"13","author":"Guo","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am J Transl Res"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"651","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2006.08.048","article-title":"Guidelines of care for acne vulgaris management","volume":"56","author":"Strauss","year":"2007","journal-title":"J Am Acad Dermatol"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Medicine"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2025.1708077\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]],"date-time":"2026-01-12T05:39:54Z","timestamp":1768196394000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2025.1708077\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]]},"references-count":22,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmed.2025.1708077"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmed.2025.1708077","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-858X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-858X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]]},"article-number":"1708077"}}