title: Comparative study of the effectiveness of oral fluconazole and intravaginal clotrimazole in the treatment of vaginal candidiasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A study was carried out to compare 3 treatment regimens for vaginal candidiasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 150 women with clinical and mycological evidence of vaginal candidiasis were randomized to receive 50 mg of oral fluconazole daily for 6 days (50 women), a single oral 150 mg dose of fluconazole (50 women), or 100 mg of intravaginal clotrimazole daily for 6 days (50 women). They were assessed at 5-15 days (short-term assessment) and again at 30-60 days (long-term assessment) after the completion of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Candida species were completely eradicated from the vagina in 88% or 80% in the 6-day oral fluconzaole group, 76% or 70% in the single oral fluconazole group, and 72% or 60% in the intravaginal clotrimazole group at short-term or long-term assessment, respectively. The rates of clinical effectiveness were 92% or 88% in the 6-day oral fluconzaole group, 80% or 76% in the single oral fluconazole group, and 72% or 58% in the intravaginal clotrimazole group at the short-term or long-term assessment, respectively. Treatment-related side effects were not found in any group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that the treatment of vaginal candidiasis with oral fluconazole is effective and that a single oral fluconazole dose might be one choice in the treatment of vaginal candidiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology School of Medicine Gifu University 40, Tsukasa-machi Gifu 5010, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mikamo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamaya