Fluconazole in the treatment of tinea versicolor

Patients with tinea versicolor (TV, n = 603) aged 18-65 years entered into an open, randomized, multicenter study to investigate the efficacy and toleration of three dosage regimens of fluconazole, The study was conducted in 10 different centers in six cities in Egypt. The patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Group I: received single 150 mg fluconazole capsule repeated weekly for 4 weeks; Group II: received two 150 mg capsules of fluconazole in a single dose repeated weekly for 4 weeks; Group III: received two 150 mg capsules of fluconazole in a single dose that could be repeated 2 weeks later, Five visits were scheduled for each group and the last follow-up visit was always 28 days after the last fluconazole dose, Response to treatment was assessed clinically and by microscopic examination of KOH mounts of skin scrapings, weekly and 28 days after the last fluconazole dose, The number of fluconazole doses administered was guided by clinical and mycologic response, and the dose was repeated only if the patient showed residual clinical lesions or positive microscopy for skin scrapings, Final evaluation was rated as cure (disappearance of lesions with no or slight color changes), improvement (no scales while color changes were much less but still obvious), and failure (no or slight changes from baseline), Mycologic assessment was rated as eradication, persistence or relapse, All adverse events were recorded during the treatment period.