title: Terbinafine in the treatment of Trichophyton tinea capitis: a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, duration-finding study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Terbinafine has been shown to be effective in tinea capitis, using different treatment durations. However, no direct comparison of treatment duration has previously been investigated. This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, multicenter study was designed to assess the effect of terbinafine treatment duration on the outcome of Trichophyton tinea capitis in a North American population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 176 patients with a clinical diagnosis of tinea capitis were enrolled in this study and treated with oral terbinafine (3-6 mg/kg/d) for 1, 2, or 4 weeks. All patients were to be followed until week 12. A total of 159 patients had culture-confirmed tinea capitis attributable to Trichophyton species and constituted the intent-to-treat population used for efficacy analysis (50, 55, and 54 patients in the 1-, 2-, and 4-week arms, respectively).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of study, effective treatment, defined as negative culture and low scores on signs and symptoms, was achieved in 56%, 69%, and 65% of patients who were treated with terbinafine for 1, 2, and 4 weeks, respectively. A negative culture was achieved in 60%, 76%, and 72%, respectively. Overall, the efficacy data showed that both the 2- and 4-week treatment regimens are clinically superior to the 1-week regimen. Terbinafine was well tolerated, and the incidence of adverse events showed no relationship to the duration of therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When efficacy, cost, and compliance are taken into consideration, 2 weeks of terbinafine therapy appears to be the optimal treatment duration for patients with Trichophyton tonsurans tinea capitis.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Children's Hospital, University of California, San Diego, California 92123-4228, USA. sfriedlander@chsd.org
authors.forename: Sheila F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Friedlander
authors.forename: Raza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aly
authors.forename: Bernice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krafchik
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blumer
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Honig
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Anne W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Lucky
authors.forename: Aditya K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Dennis E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Babel
authors.forename: Bea
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abrams
authors.forename: Nouciba
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gourmala
authors.forename: LindaAnn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wraith
authors.forename: Carle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paul
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077291:Terbinafine; D014006:Tinea Capitis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009281:Naphthalenes; D000077291:Terbinafine