title: Short-duration therapy with terbinafine for dermatophyte onychomycosis: a multicentre trial.
abstract: Terbinafine, an orally active antifungal agent, is effective in the treatment of dermatophyte onychomycosis when given for 12 months in the case of toenail infection (TN) and 6 months for fingernail infection (FN). The rapid response and short mycological cure time indicate a potential for a reduced treatment duration. In this multicentre double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 112 patients with mycologically proven dermatophyte onychomycosis were given 250 mg/day of terbinafine for 3 months. Twenty-seven patients were excluded, leaving 85 fully evaluable [average age 44 (range 19-78) years; 55 men; 75 TN, 10 FN]. Forty-nine of the TN patients and seven of the FN patients received terbinafine. At the end of the follow-up period, the TN mycological cure rate with active treatment was 82% (37/45), but no patient taking placebo maintained mycological cure (P less than 0.001). Of the FN patients treated with active drug, 71% (5/7) achieved mycological cure at the end of follow-up. Minor side-effects occurred in 41% of the placebo-treated group compared with 33% of those taking terbinafine. These adverse events were mainly gastrointestinal. Two patients taking terbinafine discontinued treatment--one with tonsillitis and another with diarrhoea. In conclusion, 3-month treatment with terbinafine is effective, well tolerated and safe in dermatophyte onychomycosis. Short-duration therapy for this indication represents a major therapeutic advance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Leeds General Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Goodfield
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005533:Foot Dermatoses / Q000188:drug therapy; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014009:Onychomycosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077291:Terbinafine
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009281:Naphthalenes; D000077291:Terbinafine