title: Weekly fluconazole therapy for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy, compared to placebo, of fluconazole 150 mg weekly, given for six months as prophylaxis against recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A quantitative systematic review was performed, and randomized controlled trials were included. We conducted searches at Medline, EMBASE, Lilacs, Cochrane Library and ICI Web of Science from 1980 to March 2012. We used the odds ratio (OR) with confidence intervals (CI) of 95% using a random effects model of Mantel-Haenszel. The software used was Review Manager version 5.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Through the search strategies we identified 249 articles, of which only two were part of the meta-analysis. Fluconazole was more effective than placebo in reducing symptomatic episodes of VVC, immediately after treatment (OR 0.10, 95% CI 0.03-0.34), 3 months after treatment (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.07-0.74) and 6 months after treatment (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.24-0.64).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weekly treatment with fluconazole (150 mg) for six months is effective against RVVC.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Epidemiology University of Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma, SC, Brazil. mir@unesc.net
authors.forename: Maria I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Bruno R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Patrícia S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Fábio R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Napoleão C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Fábio R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Suéli L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Madeira
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Panatto
authors.forename: Lidia R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Medeiros
mesh_terms: D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D055502:Secondary Prevention
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D015725:Fluconazole