Comparison of Efficacy and Safety between Super-bioavailable Itraconazole and Conventional Itraconazole in the Treatment of Tinea Infection of Glabrous Skin – A Randomised Observer-blinded Pilot Study

Abstract

Itraconazole is now being used as the first line drug for dermatophytosis. Complete clinical and mycological cure are not achieved in some cases. The Super Bioavailable (SB) formulation is being marketed as a better formulation of drug in terms of bioavailability. To compare the efficacy and safety of SB and conventional Itraconazole in treatment of dermatophytosis. We compared the efficacy and safety of conventional itraconazole 100 mg twice daily with SB itraconazole 50 mg twice daily in dermatophytosis for two weeks. A convenient sample size of 30 was taken in each group. There was no significant difference in clinical parameters like erythema, scaling, number of papules between the two groups. Change in mean haemoglobin, total leucocyte count, platelet count, liver enzymes SGOT and SGPT and ALP did not differ significantly between the groups. There was no significant difference in the change in KOH status between the groups. There was no significant difference in clinical and mycological clearance between the conventional and the Super Bioavailable itraconazole at the end of two weeks in case of dermatophytosis of glabrous skin.