RANDOMIZED COMPARISON OF 2 NYSTATIN ORAL GELS WITH MICONAZOLE ORAL GEL FOR TREATMENT OF ORAL THRUSH IN INFANTS

Recently, two commercial oral nystatin gels have been marketed in Germ any (Candio-Hermal(R), Hermal; Lederlind(R), Lederle). In a prospectiv e open randomized multicentre study involving 12 paediatricians in pri vate practice, Candio-Hermal(R) and Lederlind(R) were compared with mi conazole oral gel (Daktar(R), Janssen) in 95 infants with oral thrush (candidosis). Oral and rectal swabs were taken on days 0 and 14. Treat ment duration varied according to the amount of drug contained in one tube (Candio-Hermal(R) 10 days; Lederlind(R) 14 days; Daktar(R) 8 days ). On day 14, clinical cure was observed in 23 of 27 infants treated w ith Daktar(R) (85.1%), in 15 of 35 infants treated with Candio-Hermal( R) (42.8%; p < 0.0007); and in 16 of 33 infants treated with Lederlind (R) (48.5%; p < 0.004), Clinical relapses were observed in 15 patients (Candio-Hermal(R) n=9; Lederlind(R): n=6). The overall oral mycologic cure rate was significantly higher with Daktar(R) (29.6%) and Candio- Hermal(R) (20.0%) than with Lederlind(R) (3.0%; p < 0.005 and < 0.03, respectively). It can be concluded that Daktar(R) oral gel is signific antly more effective than Candio-Hermal(R) and Lederlind(R) in curing oral thrush in infants.