The Efficacy of Oral Terbinafine in the Short-term Treatment of Tinea Pedis

족부백선에 대한 Terbinafine 단기 경구요법의 치료효과

Background : Terbinafine is a orally active antifungal agent belonging to the allylamine class. Studies in vitro have shown it to be fungicidal and drug levels in the stratum corneum exceeding the MICs for dermatophytes for 3 weeks after stopping therapy. So we expect terbinafine to be effective even in the short-term treatment of tinea pedis. Methods : We studied the efficacy and tolerability of oral terbinafine in 20 patients with tinea pedis. All patients were treated orally with 250mg of terbinafine once a day for 2 weeks and they were followed up for 3 weeks after completion of treatment. Results : 1) On the mycological study at the initial visit, 14 causative organisms from 20 patients, 10 strains of Trichophyton rubrum and 4 strains of Trichophyton mentagrophytes, were isolated. 2) The clinical symptom improved significantly from the 1st week of therapy and had improved continuously by the time of the end of study. 3) The mycological cure rate was 50% at the end of treatment and 85% at the follow-up investigation. 4) Overall efficacy assessed by the investigator and patient was evaluated as more than moderate in 90% and 95% of patients respectively, and overall tolerability were evaluated as more than moderate in 100% of patients by both of them. 5) The adverse effects of terbinafine were noted in 1 patient(5% ), who complained mild upper gastrointestinal disturbance. No abnormal findings in liver biochemical tests were noted. Conclusion : Our results suggest that oral terbinafine is effective and safe in the short-term(2 weeks) treatment of tinea pedis.