Clinical Experience with Short Schedules of Itraconazole in the Treatment of Tinea corporis and/or Tinea cruris

BACKGROUND: Superficial fungal infections have usually been considered to be caused only by dermatophytes. In recent years their epidemiology has been changing with other fungi being isolated and, thus, antifungal agents with a broad spectrum of activity, such as itraconazole, may be particularly useful. The risk/benefit ratio for any such treatment is determined by its tolerability profile and the duration of therapy. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to compare the efficacy and tolerance of a shorter treatment regimen, using a higher dose of itraconazole, with a standard itraconazole regimen in the treatment of tinea corporis/cruris. METHODS: An open study compared oral itraconazole 200 mg daily for 7 days with oral itraconazole 100 mg for 15 days in 153 patients with tinea corporis/cruris. RESULTS: At follow-up all patients in both groups were clinically cured or markedly improved. However, mycological cures were greater in the 7-day treatment group (90%), and the onset of clinical and mycological cure was faster in this group. CONCLUSIONS: Itraconazole, 200 mg daily for 7 days, offers a short convenient and effective treatment option for tinea corporis and tinea cruris.