Comparison of one week of oral terbinafine (250 mg/day) with four weeks of treatment with clotrimazole 1% cream in interdigital tinea pedis
Authors: StC.Barnetson1; Marley2; Bullen3; Brookman4; Cowen5; Ellis6; Williams7
Source: British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 139, Number 4, October 1998 , pp. 675-678(4)
Publisher: Blackwell Publishing
Abstract:
Treatment of interdigital tinea pedis often involves long-term therapy with topically applied preparations. Effective oral preparations, such as the allylamine terbinafine (Lamisil), taken over a shorter period, could provide a useful therapeutic alternative. A total of 269 patients from five centres with clinically diagnosed interdigital tinea pedis were entered into this double-blind, randomized, double-dummy, parallel-group study comparing oral terbinafine 250 mg once daily for 1 week with 1% clotrimazole (Canesten) cream applied twice daily for 4 weeks. Of these, 137 patients were evaluable for efficacy (confirmed dermatophyte infection by microscopy and culture): 63 terbinafine and 74 clotrimazole. At week 4, the mycological cure rates (negative culture at week 1 and negative results on microscopy and culture at week 4 onwards) were very similar (71% for clotrimazole and 72% for terbinafine). There was a faster response rate in the terbinafine group with respect to signs and symptoms at week 1. Both treatments were equally well tolerated; adverse events occurred equally in the two groups. In conclusion, oral terbinafine in a single daily dose of 250 mg for 1 week is as effective and as well tolerated as 1% clotrimazole cream applied twice daily for 4 weeks in the treatment of interdigital tinea pedis.Document Type: Original article
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.1998.02466.x
Affiliations: 1: Department of Dermatology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, NSW, Australia, 2: University of Adelaide, SA, Australia, 3: University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 4: ;University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia, 5: Monash Medical Centre, VIC, Australia, 6: Women's and Children's Hospital, SA, Australia, 7: Novartis Pharma AG, Basle, Switzerland

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