Am Fam Physician. 2001;63(7):1296
The article “Use of Systemic Agents in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris” (October 15, 2000, page 1823) contained an error in the dosage information for isotretinoin.
In two sentences on page 1828, the word “daily” should have been omitted. Those sentences should read as follows: (1) first column, ending sentence—“The average duration of therapy is five months, at which time most patients will have reached the desired goal of 120 to 150 mg per kg;” and (2) second column, second full paragraph, third sentence—“After reaching the goal dosage of 120 to 150 mg per kg, isotretinoin therapy should be discontinued even if the acne is not completely clear, because improvement continues for one to two months following cessation of treatment.” The total cumulative dosage of isotretinoin should be 120 to 150 mg per kg. This level is generally reached over five to six months when using a daily dosage of 0.5 to 1.0 mg per kg. In practice, the desired total dosage should be calculated for each patient. Then, using the actual prescribed daily dose, the duration of therapy may be customized, if necessary.