CHRONIC OR RECURRENT VAGINAL CANDIDOSIS - SHORT-TERM TREATMENT AND PROPHYLAXIS WITH ITRACONAZOLE

Twenty-one women (mean age, 35.3 years) with 2 to 4 episodes of vagina l candidosis in the last 6 months were included in the study to evalua te the efficacy and safety of itraconazole as short-term, as well as p rophylactic, treatment of chronic candidosis. After clinical evaluatio n and laboratory confirmation of candidosis, 200 mg of itraconazole we re given orally for 3 days. Twelve of the 21 patients were cured. The remaining nine repeated treatment, after which all were cured. All pat ients were entered in the maintenance phase, and received 200 mg of it raconazole the first day of the menstrual cycle for 6 months. One pati ent relapsed in the second month, but after taking 200 mg of itraconaz ole BID for 1 day she remained cured for the rest of the study period. All other patients remained cured for the 6 months of the maintenance period. Three months after the end of prophylactic therapy, 17 of 20 patients (85%) were clinically and mycologically cured. No adverse exp eriences were reported. It is concluded that itraconazole is an effici ent and safe short-term treatment for chronic or recurrent vaginal can didosis. Moreover, the dose of 200 mg once monthly for 6 months proved to be a successful suppressive treatment.