Itraconazole pulse therapy is effective in the treatment of tinea capitis in children: an open multicentre study.

In an open multicentre study we have demonstrated that itraconazole pulse therapy, 5 mg/kg per day, is effective and safe in the management of tinea capitis in 10 children (seven boys, three girls, mean age: 6.6 years, age range 4-11 years). The causative organisms were Trichophyton tonsurans (six cases), T. violaceum (two cases), T. soudanense (one case) and Microsporum gypseum (one case). Each pulse of drug therapy lasted 1 week with 2 weeks off between consecutive pulses. One, two and three pulses produced complete, clinical and mycological, cure in one, six and three patients, respectively. The children tolerated the treatment well and there were no clinical or laboratory adverse effects. This 1-week pulse therapy regimen resulted in a high degree of compliance. The preliminary results of this study are promising and need to be evaluated in a larger sample of patients.