Abstract

Aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety and relapse rate of systemic Ketoconazole, systemic Itraconazole and topical Oxiconazole in the treatment of pityriasis versicolor. Study design: 94 patients who had pityriasis versicolor were included in the study. The patients were given Ketoconazole, Itraconazole and Oxiconazole randomly and were followed up at the interval of 15 days, 1 month and 3 months for assessement of clinical and mycological cure. Results: In assessment of clinical parameters maximum improvement in scaling, pigmentation and pruritus was seen in Oxiconazole group compared to itraconazole and ketoconazole group. During the study it was observed that rate of clinical cure was maximum in Oxiconazole group (76.67%) as compared to Itraconazole (58.82%) and Ketoconazole group (46.66%). Mycological cure during visit 2 in Oxiconazole group was (83.33%), as compared to (88.2%) Itraconazole group and (88.7%) Ketoconazole group. During visit 3, mycological cure was present in 93.3% cases in Oxiconazole group, 94.1% in Itraconazole group and 93.3% in Ketoconazole group. During visit 4 mycological cure was assessed which showed 88.7% cure rate in Oxiconazole group compared to 88.2% in Itraconazole group and 88.7% in Ketoconazole group. These results suggested presence of relapse in 6.6% cases in both Oxiconazole and Ketoconazole group and 5.9% cases in Itraconazole group. There were no side effects with oxiconazole group while cases treated with ketoconazole and itraconazole had side effects like nausea and urticaria. Conclusion: According to the present study we conclude that topical Oxiconazole therapy was more effective as compared to systemic Itraconazole and Ketoconazole therapy in early improvement of scaling, pigmentation and pruritus secondary to Pityriasis versicolor with no significant side effects.

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