Efficacy and safety of terbinafine hydrochloride 1% cream vs. sertaconazole nitrate 2% cream in tinea corporis and tinea cruris: A comparative therapeutic trial

Abstract

Context:To the best of our knowledge, till date no study comparing the efficacy and safety of terbinafine hydrochloride 1% cream and sertaconazole nitrate 2% cream has been done in localized tinea corporis and tinea cruris.Aims:This clinical trial was carried out to study and compare the efficacy of topical terbinafine hydrochloride 1% cream and sertaconazole nitrate 2% cream in localized tinea corporis and tinea cruris and to know the adverse effects of these antifungal creams.Settings and Design:In this prospective, single blind, randomized control trial with two arms, patient were randomized into two groups Group A (treatment with terbinafine cream) and Group B (treatment with sertaconazole cream). A total of 38 patients were enrolled for the study, 20 patients in group A and 18 patients in group B. But five patients of group A and three patients of group B were lost for follow-ups. Therefore sample size was of 30 patients with 15 patients in group A and group B each.Materials and Methods:Patients in group A and B were treated with twice daily topical 1% terbinafine hydrochloride and 2% sertaconazole nitrate cream respectively for a total duration of three weeks. Clinical improvement in signs and symptoms of each clinical parameter, namely itching, erythema, papules, pustules, vesicles, and scaling were graded weekly and clinical cure was assessed. KOH mount and culture was done weekly up to 3 weeks to access mycological cure. Fungal culture was done on Sabouraud's dextrose agar with chloramphenicol and cycloheximide.Statistical Analysis Used:Statistical analysis was done using students paired and unpaired t-tests from the data obtained.Results:Comparison between Group A and Group B for complete cure (clinical and mycological) showed that at the end of 3 weeks both terbinafine and sertaconazole groups had 100% complete cure. When the two groups were compared for complete cure, at the end of 1st and 2nd week, statistically non-significant results were observed (P = 0.461 and P = 0.679 respectively). However, at the end of 2nd week, complete cure rate for terbinafine was 80% as compared to 73.35% for sertaconazole with no statistical significance. In both Group A and Group B, clinically significant local side effects like erythema, swelling, stinging sensation, or increased itching were not noticed. A majority of our patients in both the group showed Trichophyton rubrum followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes growth on culture. In Group A, 11 patients showed growth of T. rubrum, 2 patients showed growth of T. mentagrophytes, and 1 patient had only KOH test positive. In Group B, 10 patients revealed growth of T. rubrum, followed by growth of T. mentagrophytes in 3 and Microsporum canis in 2 patients. The therapeutic response is more or less same in infection with different species.Conclusions:The newer fungistatic drug sertaconazole nitrate 2% cream was as effective as terbinafine hydrochloride 1% cream which is one of the fungicidal drugs, though terbinafine hydrochloride 1% cream has higher rates of complete cu...

A comparative trial between the therapeutic efficacy of topical 2% sertaconazole cream and 1% terbinafine cream in the treatment of tinea cruris/tinea corporis

“…10 Clinical cure i.e. clinical score equals to zero was achieved in 59.5% and 80% of patients in group A (Sertaconazole) as compared to 71.4% and 90.9% in group B (Terbinafine) at the end of two and four weeks respectively which is similar to a study done by Choudhary et al 14 Complete cure is clinical score =0 with KOH and culture negativity. In group A (Sertaconazole) complete cure was noted in 59.5%, and 80% of patients at the end of 2 nd and 4 th week of treatment, respectively.…”

Efficacy and tolerability of topical sertaconazole versus topical terbinafine in localized dermatophytosis: A randomized, observer-blind, parallel group study

“…The absence of significant differences between the two is possibly due to the unique fungicidal action of sertaconazole which includes direct fungal cell membrane damage and subsequent leakage of intracellular contents. [2021]…”

“…[20] in a study conducted in the Western part of India. The differences from the present study were that no “failures” were reported and the sample size was 15 per group.…”

“…Choudhary et al . [20] also reported that after the first 2 weeks, there was hardly any scale left over in either sertaconazole or terbinafine recipients to perform KOH microscopy. A nearly identical scenario was encountered in the present study among those patients who needed topical therapy beyond 2 weeks.…”

“…A similar view is shared by authors of earlier studies. [2021] Jerajani et al . [3] reported that in their study, only a single sertaconazole recipient withdrew because of contact dermatitis.…”