omparative Study Between Pulsed and Continuous Itraconazole for the  Treatment of Onychomycosis

Authors

  • Rohida Rahmat Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
  • Majid Hussain Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
  • Bushra Muzaffar Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
  • Nadia Akbar Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan
  • Muhammad Adeel Siddique Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
  • Kanza Aftab Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v74i5.9366

Keywords:

Continuous Itraconazole Therapy, Fungal Infection, Onychomycosis, OSI (onychomycosis severity index), Pulsed Therapy.

Abstract

Objective: To compare efficacy of pulsed versus continuous daily oral Itraconazole in the treatment of onychomycosis.

Study Design: Randomized Control Trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05567484).

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad, Pakistan, from May to Dec 2021.

Methodology: We enrolled 60 patients whose toenails showed signs of onychomycosis (crumbling nail plates, thicker nail beds, and yellowing). They were randomly divided into Group-A and Group-B, with 30 patients each. Group -A (Pulse Therapy) took two capsules of oral Itraconazole 100 mg twice weekly for one week every month for three months while Group-B (Continuous Therapy) received continuous oral 100 mg of Itraconazole once daily for 12 weeks continuously. Patients were subjected to an Onychomycosis Severity Index-based clinical evaluation.

Results: In Group-A (Pulse Therapy), 25(83.3%) patients showed mycological cure whereas in Group-B (Continuous Therapy), 23(76.7%) patients showed mycological cure but difference in the efficacy of both drugs was not statistically significant (p-value=0.519).

Conclusion: Pulsed therapy with Itraconazole and continuous Itraconazole therapy have comparable efficacies in treating dermatophyte toenail onychomycosis.

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Published

31-10-2024

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Original Articles

How to Cite

1.
Rahmat R, Hussain M, Muzaffar B, Akbar N, Siddique MA, Aftab K. omparative Study Between Pulsed and Continuous Itraconazole for the  Treatment of Onychomycosis. Pak Armed Forces Med J [Internet]. 2024 Oct. 31 [cited 2024 Nov. 5];74(5):1303-6. Available from: https://pafmj.org/PAFMJ/article/view/9366