Once daily treatment with terbinafine 1% cream (Lamisil (R)) for one week is effective in the treatment of tinea corporis and cruris. A placebo-controlled study

Duration of therapy is an important factor in determining patients' complia nce in dermatomycosis. Terbinafine (Lamisil(R)) is an allylamine antifungal agent. Its fungicidal properties against dermatophytes should allow physic ians to reduce treatment duration without affecting the cure rate. This stu dy was carried out to determine the efficacy and tolerability of terbinafin e 1% cream, applied once daily for 7 days, in adult patients with tinea cor poris/ cruris. in a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group s tudy, patients with a clinical diagnosis of tinea corporis/cruris confirmed by microscopy and culture received treatment with either terbinafine 1% cr eam (n=57) or placebo cream (n=60). The patients applied the cream once dai ly for 7 days, and were then observed for a further 7 weeks. The efficacy w as assessed at the end of the study by comparing the rates of mycological c ure in the two treatment groups. Total clinical signs and symptoms scores, clinical response, and overall treatment efficacy were also measured and co mpared between the two groups. A 7-day once-daily course of terbinafine was significantly more effective than placebo in achieving and maintaining myc ological cure (84.2 versus 23.3% P<0.001). Terbinafine was also significant ly more effective than placebo in terms of clinical response, reduction in signs and symptoms scores, and overall efficacy. The short treatment regime n and the sustained high cure rate should contribute to making terbinafine a valuable treatment option in tinea corporis/cruris.