Efficacy and Safety of Combination Treatment of Oral Terbinafine and Itraconazole in Patients with Extensive Superficial Dermatophytes

Abstract

Background: Dermatophytosis, a prevalent fungal infection, is instigated by species like Trichophyton, Epidermophyton and Microsporum. The current approach for treating dermatophytosis involves a blend of systemic and topical antifungal therapies, applicable to all patients except those with localized, untreated Tinea. Notably, there is a growing incidence of inadequate response to the standard treatment regimen in recent times. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination treatment of oral terbinafine and itraconazole in patients with extensive superficial dermatophytes. Materials and Methods: This research comprised a randomized clinical trial involving 50 individuals diagnosed with extensive superficial dermatophytosis. Study conducted at the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Combined Military Hospital Cumilla, the study spanned from July 2022 to June 2023. During the six-week duration, patients underwent treatment with terbinafine and itraconazole, with follow-up examinations every two weeks, including relevant investigations. Evaluation of treatment outcomes occurred at both four and six weeks. Statistical analysis was performed using version 25 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: This study shows the majority of the participants within the age range of 16-30 years (56.0%) and the average age of the participants is 31.74±11.77 years. In terms of gender, the majority are male (78.0%). The most prevalent diagnosis is Tinea corporis (68.0%), followed by Tinea cruris (36.0%), Tinea faciei (28.0%), and Tinea incognito (12.0%). The majority of participants (85.0%) have had the disease for 12 months or less. The most common sites are the trunk (35.0%), whole body (26.0%), and crural area (24.0%). The majority of participants experience severe itching (56.0%), followed by moderate itching (34.0%), and a smaller percentage report mild itching (10.0%). The majority of participants showed improvement, with percentages increasing from 66.0% after 2 weeks to 84.0% after 4 weeks. The percentage of cured individuals also increased over time, reaching a substantial 90.0% after 6 weeks. Conclusion: The amalgamation of terbinafine and itraconazole demonstrates a superior clinical cure rate compared to use of single systemic antifungals. However, the observed clinical cure rate percentage is lower when juxtaposed with findings from previous studies. Notably, none of the used combination of systemic antimycotic medication has displayed success against tinea infections previously treated with topical formulations containing steroids.