ArteFill, the successor product to Artecoll, is an injectable wrinkle filler composed of polymethylmethacrylate microspheres and bovine collagen, which offers long-lasting and probably permanent augmentation of wrinkles and skin contour deformities. The pivotal U.S. Food and Drug Administration study consisted of 251 subjects at eight centers in the United States who received injections of ArteFill or bovine collagen dermal filler (control) in 1334 wrinkles of the glabella, nasolabial folds, radial upper lip lines, and corners of the mouth. The efficacy data generated by masked observers using a photographic Facial Fold Assessment Scale demonstrated a significant improvement with ArteFill compared with collagen at 6 months (p < 0.001) in the nasolabial folds. In the ArteFill group, 12-month follow-up was obtained for 111 subjects (86.7 percent) and showed persistence of significant wrinkle correction. A subgroup of 69 patients who received ArteFill were recalled 4 to 5 years later. Five patients reported six late adverse events that occurred from 2 to 5 years after the initial injection; four of the adverse events were mild cases of lumpiness and two were severe. The total number of late adverse events was six of 272 (2.2 percent) wrinkles injected. Among the 272 wrinkles evaluated at 5 years, two events (0.7 percent) in one patient were rated as severe (a nodular, minimally inflammatory to noninflammatory reaction in both nasolabial folds). Investigator Facial Fold Assessment ratings at 4 to 5 years were improved from baseline by 1.67 points (p < 0.001).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.