title: Comparison of terbinafine and griseofulvin in the treatment of tinea capitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Griseofulvin has been used for many years in the treatment of tinea capitis. Increase in resistance to this medication has led to a search for new therapeutic alternatives.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of terbinafine in comparison with griseofulvin in the treatment of tinea capitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a double-blind, randomized, prospective evaluation of 50 patients with a clinical and mycologic diagnosis of tinea capitis. One group received 4 weeks of terbinafine followed by 4 weeks of placebo. The other group received 8 weeks of griseofulvin. We evaluated 5 clinical parameters. Mycologic examinations were performed at baseline and at the end of weeks 8 and 12.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients' ages ranged from 1 to 14 years. Fifty-four percent were girls and 46% were boys. Mycologic examinations disclosed Trichophyton tonsurans in 74% of patients and Microsporum canis in 26%. At week 8, the griseofulvin-treated group showed a cure rate of 76%, and the terbinafine-treated group 72%. At week 12, the efficacy of griseofulvin decreased to 44%, whereas the efficacy of terbinafine was 76%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Terbinafine constitutes an alternative for the treatment of tinea capitis. Recurrences were less frequent. No significant side effects were reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dermatology, Instituto de Salud del Niño, Peru. spederma@chavin.rcp.net.pe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cáceres-Ríos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rueda
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ballona
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bustamante
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006118:Griseofulvin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000077291:Terbinafine; D014006:Tinea Capitis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009281:Naphthalenes; D006118:Griseofulvin; D000077291:Terbinafine