Randomized double-blind comparison of short-term itraconazole and terbinafine therapy for toenail onychomycosis. |
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Authors: | H Degreef A del Palacio S Mygind G Ginter A Pinto Soares A Zuluaga de Cadena |
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Institution: | Department of Dermatology, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. |
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Abstract: | Previous studies evaluating short-term itraconazole and terbinafine therapy for onychomycosis have varied in protocol and size; this double-blind study enabled a large-scale, standardized, direct comparison. Patients with toenail onychomycosis were randomized to itraconazole 200 mg daily (n = 146) or terbinafine 250 mg daily (n = 146) for 12 weeks, with a 36-week follow-up. Mycological cure rates at the follow-up end-point were significantly equivalent (61% with itraconazole vs. 67% with terbinafine). A similar proportion of patients in each group experienced adverse events during treatment (itraconazole, 22%; terbinafine, 23%). More patients receiving terbinafine stopped treatment permanently because of treatment-related adverse events (8% vs. 1%). |
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