The safety of long-term clindamycin therapy for acne.

Sixty patients with severe pustular and cystic acne were treated for prolonged periods with clindamycin (150 mg to 300 mg daily). The average duration of therapy was five months, with 18 patients being treated for more than six months. Only two (3.4%) patients developed mild diarrhea, which was rapidly reversible on discontinuance of the drug. No other adverse reactions were observed. These data suggest that long-term, low-dose clindamycin therapy may be safe for severe pustular of cystic acne.