title: Comparison of user-friendliness and treatment cost of Loceryl® vs. Ciclopoli®--a patient's perspective.
abstract: Topical monotherapy is a valid therapeutic approach in onychomycosis. Due to its lengthy course and its non-reimbursed product status, cost and compliance are important issues and non-pharmacological properties such as over-the-counter price and ease of use should be considered when deciding which product to recommend. We investigated surrogate parameters for patient-friendliness and treatment cost in Germany in a questionnaire-based prospective, comparative, intra-individual, open-label trial of the two common topical antifungal nail lacquers Loceryl(®) (amorolfine 5%) and Ciclopoli(®) (ciclopirox 8%) in eight patients with clinically diagnosed onychomycosis. The 2.5 ml bottle of Loceryl(®) covered a treatment period of 308 days, resulting in treatment costs of €0.10 per day in comparison to the 3.3 ml bottle of Ciclopoli(®), covering 127 days at €0.21 per day, given once-daily application for Ciclopoli(®) and once-weekly application for Loceryl(®) in accordance with regulatory approval. Six out of eight patients favoured the Loceryl(®) treatment regimen. Furthermore, four out of eight patients found Loceryl(®) easier to apply, whereas three preferred Ciclopoli(®). In total, seven out of eight stated a clear preference for Loceryl(®) over Ciclopoli(®). Loceryl(®) therapy is less expensive and less time-consuming. The therapeutic period that can be covered is longer and more patients stated a clear preference for Loceryl(®) in comparison to Ciclopoli(®). The differences are statistically significant, underlining probable clinical relevance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schaller
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braunsdorf
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mailänder-Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Galderma Laboratorium GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jäckel
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Galderma Laboratorium GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borelli
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077768:Ciclopirox; D005533:Foot Dermatoses / Q000188:drug therapy; D005858:Germany; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009025:Morpholines / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009262:Nails / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D014009:Onychomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011728:Pyridones / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009025:Morpholines; D011728:Pyridones; D000077768:Ciclopirox; C038974:amorolfine
keywords: Onychomycosis; amorolfine; antimycotic nail lacquer; antimycotic therapy; ciclopirox