COMPARATIVE CLINICAL EFFICACY OF SHAMPOOS CONTAINING CICLOPIROX-OLAMINE (1.5-PERCENT) OR KETOCONAZOLE (2-PERCENT NIZORAL(R)) FOR THE CONTROL OF DANDRUFF SEBORRHEIC DERMATITIS

The efficacy and acceptability of ciclopirox olamine (1.5%) and ketoco nazole (2%; Nizoral(R)) shampoos were compared in 'half-head' (30 subj ects with mild dandruff) and in controlled 'whole-head' (163 subjects with moderate to severe dandruff and/or seborrhoeic dermatitis) studie s. Shampooing was twice weekly. in both studies, an unmedicated shampo o was used during a 2-3 week run-in period, followed by a 4-week doubl e-blind, randomized treatment period. There was a 2-week unmedicated s hampoo follow-up period in the whole-head study, A technician assessed the extent and severity of dandruff, the degree of redness and of sca ling due to seborrhoeic dermatitis and the area affected, and made a g lobal efficacy evaluation, Subjects self-assessed dandruff, overall sc alp itching, itching of the area affected with seborrhoeic dermatitis and dryness/greasiness of their hair, and gave an overall opinion of t reatment. The half-head study showed that both medicated shampoos sign ificantly reduced dandruff and scalp itching at 4 weeks with no differ ences between treatments. The whole-head study showed that ciclopirox olamine, ketoconazole and the control (unmedicated shampoo base) each improved dandruff and/or seborrhoeic dermatitis significantly with bot h medicated shampoos being equally effective and also superior to the control shampoo at 4 weeks. Between baseline and day 43, the decrease in dandruff score was significantly greater for ketoconazole than for ciclopirox olamine with the difference between treatments being signif icant. In both studies, ciclopirox olamine (1.5%) was effective in the treatment of scalp disorders and was as well tolerated as ketoconazol e.