Onychomycosis is accounting for up to 50% all nail disorders. It causes not only physical but also psychosocial
and emotional distress to the patient. Treatment of the disease is far from
satisfactory mainly due to high cost and long duration of therapy with poor
patient compliance.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE:
This
study aims to compare the efficacy of pulse therapy of oral
Fluconazole, Terbinafine and Itraconazole.
Both Terbinafine and Itraconazole
pulse therapy is equivalent in terms of clinical cure and relapse. But
Terbinafine being cost effective and having minimal drug interaction appears to
be the best drug.
Both Terbinafine and Itraconazole
have not only significantly higher clinical and mycological cure rate but also
have lower relapse rate than Fluconazole.
There is no significant difference in between terbinafine and itraconazole
in terms of clinical cure. Terbinafine
being the cost effective than Itraconazole ensures that patients are more
likely to complete therapy.
With regard to cost-effectiveness, side effects and the cure rates, terbinafine could be the drug of choice in the short-term treatment of toenail onychomycosis.
Background: Onychomycosis
is accounting for upto 50% all nail disorders. It causes not only physical but
also psychosocial and emotional distress to the patient. Treatment of the disease
is far from satisfactory mainly due to high cost and long duration of therapy
with poor patient compliance.
Objective: to
compare the efficacy of pulse therapy of oral Fluconazole, Terbinafine and
Itraconazole.
Methods: 90
patients of Onychomycosis were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups and
followed up regularly. KOH smear and culture were done of all patients. Group A
was given tablet Fluconazole 150 mg per week for 6 months in fingernail and 12
months in toenail onychomycosis. Group B was given tablet Terbinafine 250 mg
and group C was given capsule Itraconazole 200 mg twice daily for 1st 7
days/month for 3 or 4 months in finger or toe nails involvement respectively.
Results: Male
Female ratio was 1:2.46 with Mostly housewives (53.33%). Distal & Lateral
Subungual Onychomycosis was the most common type in 82.22% patients. Grade IV
improvement was seen in 46.66% patients in group B, 40% patients in group C and
33.33% patients in group A at the end of the study.
Conclusion: Both
Terbinafine and Itraconazole pulse therapy is equivalent in terms of clinical
cure and relapse. But Terbinafine being cost effective and having minimal drug
interaction appears to be the best drug.
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