EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF ITRACONAZOLE IN PATIENTS WITH FINGERNAILONYCHOMYCOSIS - A 6-WEEK PILOT-STUDY

Twenty-one patients (6 men, 15 women) with fingernail onychomycosis pa rticipated in this open-label trial. They received 200-mg itraconazole once daily for 6 weeks and were followed up for 12 weeks after stoppi ng treatment. Ail patients had fungal elements detected by using micro scopic examination of potassium hydroxide (KOH) smear of their fingern ail scrappings at the start of the trial. Cultures revealed that 7 pat ients were infected with Trichophyton rubrum; 6 with yeasts; and 1 wit h Fusarium species. At the end of treatment (week 6), 42.9% of patient s were free of fungal colonization, as assessed by using KOH smear and fungus culture results. At the end of the follow-up period (week 18), 81.0% were clinically completely clear of lesion with a negative KOH smear and fungus culture, and an additional 9.5% were markedly improve d, with a minimal residual lesion and a negative KOH smear and fungus culture. Three (14.3%) of 21 patients reported mild adverse events. Th e results of this trial confirm that a regimen of 200-mg itraconazole once daily for 6 weeks is effective and well tolerated in the treatmen t of patients with fingernail onychomycosis caused by either dermatoph ytes or yeasts.