The efficacy and safety of terbinafine in children.

Abstract

In summary, terbinafine is a broad-spectrum allylamine, which has been used to treat superficial fungal infections including onychomycosis, and some systemic mycoses in adults. With a fungicidal activity, low minimum inhibitory concentration value, and high selectivity for fungal squalene epoxidase, terbinafine has demonstrated good efficacy in superficial fungal infections. Its lipophilic nature provides excellent, widespread absorption into hair, skin, and nails where it can eradicate fungal infection. Terbinafine has been shown to be effective and safe in several studies of the treatment of tinea capitis and onychomycosis in children. When treating Trichophyton tinea capitis the length of therapy may be 2 or 4 weeks. Microsporum tinea capitis may require somewhat higher or longer doses of terbinafine for adequate efficacy. These regimens still tend to be shorter than treatment with griseofulvin, and terbinafine may provide a higher compliance and a more cost-effective means of managing tinea capitis. It is possible that even higher cure rates and a shorter duration of therapy may be achieved following further optimization of treatment regimens that use a higher daily dosage of terbinafine than is currently recommended. The evidence is strongly in favor of using terbinafine to treat superficial fungal infections in children.

• Authors: Aditya K Gupta, Elizabeth A Cooper, Charles W Lynde
• Journal: Dermatologic clinics (Dermatol Clin) Vol. 21 Issue 3 Pg. 511-20 (Jul 2003) ISSN: 0733-8635 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12956204 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antifungal Agents
• Naphthalenes
• Griseofulvin
• Terbinafine

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Antifungal Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Child
• Child Welfare
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Griseofulvin (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Naphthalenes (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Onychomycosis (drug therapy, microbiology, pathology)
• Terbinafine
• Tinea Capitis (drug therapy, microbiology, pathology)