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CompletedNCT04300010Updated May 10, 2022Results posted

Blue Light Therapy of C. Acnes

A Phase 4 interventional study of 5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide Gel and Blue Light Therapy in Acne, sponsored by University of Wisconsin, Madison. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to male participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2022-05-10.

Sponsored by University of Wisconsin, Madison · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
60
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
Male
01

Study summary

This proposal aims to investigate a novel light-based treatment to reduce morbidity in shoulder surgical patients. This has potential to improve outcomes and reduce health care utilization associated with infectious complications of shoulder arthroplasty. Participants will be healthy male volunteers at least 18 years of age. They will be on study for approximately 2 days.

Read the detailed description

Participants will have two study visits (consent plus treatment and swabs for culture). These visits will be conducted at the main UW Hospital, UW Health at the American Center, or UW Health at 1 S. Park. All visits will be conducted in reserved conference rooms at each location.

Once a subject is determined to be eligible and has consented to the study, they will be randomized into one of three treatment groups. Study team has blank envelopes that contain one of the three treatment groups enclosed. After a subject consents to the study, the study team will randomly draw an envelope to assign a treatment arm.

Arm 1. One group will receive 5% topical benzoyl peroxide gel plus 2% chlorhexidine gluconate with 70% isopropyl alcohol

Arm 2. One group will receive blue light therapy plus 2% chlorhexidine gluconate with 70% isopropyl alcohol

Arm 3. One group will receive both of the above treatments

All participants will have their contralateral shoulder serve as the control (2% chlorhexidine gluconate with 70% isopropyl alcohol only). All treatment will be provided by the study team. Participants will also be asked to complete a research intake form.

If C. acnes does grow for a tissue culture, Investigators plan to bank a colony of the bacterium for potential use in a future study. There will be no added risk to research subjects as no additional cultures will be taken and samples will be completely anonymized. The banked samples will simply be a colony of growth from the culture media for storage for possible future use. Samples will be banked for 5 years from the date of study completion after which time the samples will be destroyed.

02

Conditions studied

  • Acne

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03

In context

Acne Vulgaris

730 studies on the registry are indexed under Acne Vulgaris; 86 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 60 is below the median of 69 across 628 interventional studies indexed under Acne Vulgaris.

Browse Acne Vulgaris studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Wisconsin, Madison is the lead sponsor of 1,161 studies on the registry; 182 are open to participants now.

Of its 151 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 114 (75%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
Male
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Healthy male
  • 18 years or older

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Allergy to benzoyl peroxide or chlorhexidine
  • \<18 years of age
  • Previous history of shoulder infections
  • Antibiotics taken within one month of research visit
  • Immunocompromised state
  • Active cancer
  • Diabetic
  • Skin lesions or abrasions over the deltopectoral interval
  • Topical corticosteroid treatment to either shoulder or or systemic corticosteroid treatment within 2 weeks of research visit
  • Topical benzoyl peroxide treatment to either shoulder within 2 weeks of research visit
  • Blue light therapy treatment to either shoulder within 2 weeks of research visit
  • Prior incision over the deltopectoral interval of either shoulder
  • Contraindication to blue light treatment
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
60 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Blue Light Therapy

    FDA cleared blue light product, Omniluxblue (Globalmed Technologies, Glen Elen, CA), which emits a 415 nm blue light irradiance of 40mW/cm2. Following the application of blue light protective eyewear, the blue light therapy device will be centered over the deltopectoral interval according to device standardized use instructions and a 23-minute treatment will be administered to dry skin. As was done in the topical BPO group, following treatment, a skin swab culture of the treatment shoulder will be taken, then both the treatment shoulder and control shoulder will be sterilely prepped with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate solution with 70% isopropyl alcohol and allowed to dry for 3 minutes. Following chlorhexidine preparation, a single set of cultures will be obtained from each shoulder. Participants and research personnel conducting the blue light treatments will be wearing medical grade blue light protective glasses for safety.

    Device: Blue Light Therapy

  • Active comparator
    5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide Gel

    A pea-sized amount, \~0.5 grams, will be applied to a 10cm strip over the deltopectoral interval beginning the morning 48 hours prior to schedule research visit to obtain cultures. The benzoyl peroxide will be applied on dry skin after a shower. The gel will be applied once in the morning and once in the evening for two consecutive days as well as the morning of the scheduled research visit. Following treatment, a skin swab culture of the treatment shoulder will be taken, both the treatment shoulder and control shoulder will be sterilely prepped with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate solution with 70% isopropyl alcohol and allowed to dry for 3 minutes. Following chlorhexidine preparation, a single set of cultures will be obtained from each shoulder.

    Drug: 5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide Gel

  • Active comparator
    Light and Gel

    Prior to treatment, a skin swab culture will be taken, 5% topical benzoyl peroxide treatment will be performed on dry skin immediately after a shower as described in the above paragraph. Again, five total treatments will be performed prior to research visit. On the day of the research visit, the blue light therapy protocol described above will be performed exactly the same followed by culture obtainment.

    Drug: 5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide Gel · Device: Blue Light Therapy

Interventions

  • Drug5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide Gel

    Gel treatment used to treat acne

  • DeviceBlue Light Therapy

    Blue light therapy treatment for acne

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Participants With C. Acnes Bacterium Culture After Treatment

    Swab will be taken from skin and cultured for approximately 7 days to determine bacteria growth. This result is for the null condition following treatment with either blue light, blue light plus benzoyl peroxide or just benzoyl peroxide but before additional preparation with chlorhexidine.

    Time frame: up to 2 days

  2. Median Colony Forming Units (CFU) After Treatment

    Quantitative culture analysis between treatment groups after treatment to the shoulder but before chlorhexidine preparation (null condition).

    Time frame: up to 2 days

  3. Percentage of Participants in Each Group With Positive C. Acnes Cultures

    Comparison of positive Cutibacterium acnes cultures as a binary (yes/no) outcome between treatment arm and control arm following chlorhexidine (CHX) prep. Reported is the percentage of people in each group that had Cutibacterium acnes growth.

    Time frame: up to 2 days

  4. Median Colony Forming Units Per mL Treatment vs Control

    Samples taken from treatment arm and control arm after chlorhexidine (CHX) preparation on both sides.

    Time frame: up to 2 days

07

Results

Posted May 10, 2022

Participant flow

Volunteers were recruited through fliers around the study institution's facilities, through Clinicaltrials.gov, and informational emails to clinical staff listservs at the study University of Wisconsin - Madison. Participants were enrolled from 10/5/20 through 1/22/21.

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestoneBlue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and GelControl Shoulder
Started20202060
Completed20202060
Not completed0000

Outcome measures

PrimaryNumber of Participants With C. Acnes Bacterium Culture After Treatment

Swab will be taken from skin and cultured for approximately 7 days to determine bacteria growth. This result is for the null condition following treatment with either blue light, blue light plus benzoyl peroxide or just benzoyl peroxide but before additional preparation with chlorhexidine.

Time frame:
up to 2 days
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Number of Participants With C. Acnes Bacterium Culture After Treatment
ParticipantsBlue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and Gel
Number of Participants With C. Acnes Bacterium Culture After Treatment202016
PrimaryMedian Colony Forming Units (CFU) After Treatment

Quantitative culture analysis between treatment groups after treatment to the shoulder but before chlorhexidine preparation (null condition).

Time frame:
up to 2 days
Reported as:
Median · CFU/mL
Median Colony Forming Units (CFU) After Treatment
CFU/mLBlue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and Gel
Median Colony Forming Units (CFU) After Treatment304000 (77800 to 915000)28500 (10300 to 89000)12100 (300 to 143000)
PrimaryPercentage of Participants in Each Group With Positive C. Acnes Cultures

Comparison of positive Cutibacterium acnes cultures as a binary (yes/no) outcome between treatment arm and control arm following chlorhexidine (CHX) prep. Reported is the percentage of people in each group that had Cutibacterium acnes growth.

Time frame:
up to 2 days
Reported as:
Number · percent
Percentage of Participants in Each Group With Positive C. Acnes Cultures
percentBlue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and Gel
Treatment plus CHX Arm90.0 (67.6 to 97.5)15.0 (4.9 to 37.6)40.0 (21.4 to 62.0)
Control Arm after CHX80.0 (57.2 to 92.3)85.0 (62.4 to 95.1)70.0 (47.3 to 85.9)
PrimaryMedian Colony Forming Units Per mL Treatment vs Control

Samples taken from treatment arm and control arm after chlorhexidine (CHX) preparation on both sides.

Time frame:
up to 2 days
Reported as:
Median · CFU/mL
Median Colony Forming Units Per mL Treatment vs Control
CFU/mLBlue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and Gel
Treatment plus CHX Arm50000 (17000 to 247000)2000 (2000 to 2000)2000 (2000 to 11300)
Control Arm after CHX108000 (4000 to 254000)41500 (2000 to 96000)20000 (2000 to 258000)

Adverse events

Collected over Participants were contacted at least 1 week following the final research visit to ask for any delayed side effects of treatments, up to 2 weeks on study. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Blue Light Therapy0/20 (0%)0/20 (0%)6/20 (30%)
5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide Gel0/20 (0%)0/20 (0%)6/20 (30%)
Light and Gel0/20 (0%)0/20 (0%)6/20 (30%)
Control Shoulder0/60 (0%)0/60 (0%)2/60 (3.3%)
Most frequent other events
Most frequent other events
EventBlue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and GelControl Shoulder
ErythemaInjury, poisoning and procedural complications3/202/204/201/60
Itching or BurningInjury, poisoning and procedural complications0/203/200/200/60
Skin Dryness, Peeling, or FlakingInjury, poisoning and procedural complications0/202/202/201/60
bleaching of clothingProduct Issues0/202/200/200/60
HyperpigmentationInjury, poisoning and procedural complications2/200/200/200/60
Warmth at Treatment SiteInjury, poisoning and procedural complications1/200/201/200/60

Baseline characteristics

Age, Continuous
Age, Continuous(years)Blue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and GelTotal
Mean26.70 ± 2.9926.80 ± 3.6225.90 ± 2.9726.47 ± 2.97
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Blue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and GelTotal
Female0000
Male20202060
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Blue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and GelTotal
Hispanic or Latino1124
Not Hispanic or Latino19191856
Unknown or Not Reported0000
Race (NIH/OMB)
Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Blue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and GelTotal
American Indian or Alaska Native0101
Asian43310
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander1001
Black or African American1102
White13141542
More than one race0000
Unknown or Not Reported1124
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(participants)Blue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and GelTotal
United States20202060
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Body Mass Index (BMI)(kg/m^2)Blue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and GelTotal
Mean24.60 ± 3.4924.56 ± 2.3024.63 ± 3.9224.60 ± 3.67
Occupation
Occupation(Participants)Blue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and GelTotal
Student15131644
Resident57315
Other Healthcare Professional0011
Asthma
Asthma(Participants)Blue Light Therapy5% Topical Benzoyl Peroxide GelLight and GelTotal
Count of participants2305

4 further baseline measures are reported on the registry.

08

Study locations

1 site
  • University of Wisconsin - Madison
    Madison, Wisconsin 53792, United States
09

References and documents

Publications

  • Cotter EJ, Cotter LM, Franczek EB, Godfrey JJ, Hetzel SJ, Safdar N, Dai T, Arkin L, Grogan BF. Efficacy of combinational therapy using blue light and benzoyl peroxide in reducing Cutibacterium acnes bioburden at the deltopectoral interval: a randomized controlled trial. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2021 Dec;30(12):2671-2681. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2021.08.008. Epub 2021 Aug 31. PubMed 34478863 ↗

Study documents

  • Protocol and statistical analysis plan · Feb 1, 2021

Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

10

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 10, 2022, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
11

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04300010
Lead sponsor
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Mar 9, 2020
Start date
Oct 5, 2020
Primary completion
Jan 22, 2021
Completion
Jan 22, 2021
Results posted
May 10, 2022
Last update
May 10, 2022

Study contacts

Brian F Grogan, MD
principal investigator · University of Wisconsin, Madison

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2022. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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