Refractory onychomycosis due to Trichophyton rubrum: combination therapy with itraconazole and terbinafine

Abstract

Objectives: Evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of itraconazole plus terbinafine for refractory onychomycosis. This is a prospective clinical trial. Patients with proven Trychophyton rubrum onychomycosis of toenails were enrolled; the treatment consisted of weekly administration: itraconazole 200mg/day and terbinafine 250mg/day, for four months. Results: Thirty-two patients with onychomycosis were studied. Twenty-eight cases had distal subungual onychomycosis and 4 total dystrophic onychomycosis. At the end of the follow-up 17/32 patients had clinical and mycologic cure (53.12%), 5 had clinical improvement only (15.6%), and 10 (31.2%) failed. Conclusion: Weekly alternate therapy with itraconazole + terbinafine represents a safe rescue treatment.

Keywords

• onychomycosis
• refractory
• distal subungual onychomycosis
• itraconazole
• terbinafine
• Trichophyton rubrum