A Comparative Study of Efficacy of Oral Terbinafine and Oralitraconazole in Tinea Corporis / Tinea Cruris Infection

Dermatophytoses which are superficial fungal infections of the skin, hair, and nail are among the most common infective dermatoses seen in dermatology outpatient clinics. Today, we are facing an onslaught of chronic and recurrent dermatophytosis in volumes never encountered previously. Itraconazole was found to be the better antifungal in terms of clinical cure,mycological clearance and less need for extension of treatment than Terbinafine. Overall, oral Itraconazole 200 mg/day for 2 weeks proved to be a better agent with excellent and significantly better cure rates than oral Terbinafine 500mg/day for 2 weeks. With Itraconazole, the contra-indications, drug interactions must be kept in mind to prevent loss of efficacy/ potentially hazardous interactions. Both drugs had a good safety profile and few minor adverse events. The reasons for extension of treatment comprise chronicity, previous treatment with OTC steroid preparations, and misuse of systemic antifungal drugs, diabetes, and obesity. Poor personal practices and hygiene also havetheir contribution. Significant associations were also noted between diabetes and chronicity.