title: Short duration treatment with terbinafine for tinea capitis caused by Trichophyton or Microsporum species. The Study Group.
abstract: Thirty-five patients with mycologically proven scalp infections were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind clinical trial with oral terbinafine (dose adjusted according to patient weight) for either 1 or 2 weeks. Patients were observed for 12 weeks; after 4 weeks, non-responders were offered an additional 4 weeks of treatment followed by a second observation period. The causative organisms were Microsporum canis (n = 12), Trichophyton tonsurans (n = 12) and other Trichophyton spp. (n = 11). The Trichophyton infections were treated effectively in five of nine (56%) patients treated for 1 week and 12 of 14 (86%) patients treated for 2 weeks. Three of the non-responders were treated for an additional 4 weeks, and one responded. In the Microsporum group only one of seven patients treated for 1 week and none of five treated for 2 weeks responded. However, treatment was effective in four of six (66%) patients treated for an additional 4 weeks. Mild to moderate adverse events believed to be drug related occurred in four patients in each of the two groups. Terbinafine is well tolerated, and requires 2 weeks of treatment in most patients with Trichophyton scalp infections and 4 weeks or more in Microsporum scalp infections, to achieve a successful clinical and mycological response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamm
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwinn
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bräutigam
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weidinger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008864:Microsporum; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077291:Terbinafine; D014006:Tinea Capitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014249:Trichophyton
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009281:Naphthalenes; D000077291:Terbinafine