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Short duration treatment with terbinafine for tinea capitis caused by Trichophyton or Microsporum species
Author(s) -
Henning Hamm,
A. Schwinn,
Matthias Bräutigam,
Gottfried Weidinger
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2133.1999.02713.x
Subject(s) - terbinafine , microsporum canis , trichophyton tonsurans , tinea capitis , medicine , microsporum , trichophyton , scalp , dermatophyte , dermatology , mycosis , adverse effect , griseofulvin , surgery , itraconazole , antifungal
Thirty‐five patients with mycologically proven scalp infections were enrolled in a randomized, double‐blind clinical trial with oral terbinafine (dose adjusted according to patient weight) for either 1 or 2 weeks. Patients were observed for 12 weeks; after 4 weeks, non‐responders were offered an additional 4 weeks of treatment followed by a second observation period. The causative organisms were Microsporum canis ( n = 12), Trichophyton tonsurans ( n = 12) and other Trichophyton spp. ( n = 11). The Trichophyton infections were treated effectively in five of nine (56%) patients treated for 1 week and 12 of 14 (86%) patients treated for 2 weeks. Three of the non‐responders were treated for an additional 4 weeks, and one responded. In the Microsporum group only one of seven patients treated for 1 week and none of five treated for 2 weeks responded. However, treatment was effective in four of six (66%) patients treated for an additional 4 weeks. Mild to moderate adverse events believed to be drug related occurred in four patients in each of the two groups. Terbinafine is well tolerated, and requires 2 weeks of treatment in most patients with Trichophyton scalp infections and 4 weeks or more in Microsporum scalp infections, to achieve a successful clinical and mycological response.