Sulconazole versus clotrimazole in the treatment of dermatophytosis

Seventy-eight patients with dermatophyte infections were treated for 4 weeks with cither sulconazole nitrate 1% cream or 1% clotrimazole cream in a randomized, double-blind, parallel study. After 4 weeks of treatment dermatophytes could no longer be isolated from 92%, of clotrimazole-treated patients and 90%, of those treated with sulconazole. Both treatment groups showed 96%, eradication of the fungus 4 weeks after the end of treatment. One clotrimazole patient relapsed after giving a negative culture at the end of treatment and became positive 4 weeks later. There were no relapses for patients treated with sulconazole but one patient failed to respond clinically to 4 weeks of treatment. Three clotrimazole-treated patients relapsed clinically from week 4 to week 8. Significantly less erythema was observed in the sulconazole group compared to the clotrimazole group at week 8. A statistically significant difference in favour of sulconazole was observed also for maceration. Side-effects to clotrimazole were reported by three patients, one of whom required to be withdrawn from the study. None of the patients who received sulconazole complained of adverse effects. Sulconazole nitrate cream was shown to be a safe and effective treatement for dermatophyte infections of the skin and may offer some superiority to clotrimazole.