Abstract

Background: Dermatophytosis is a common cutaneous infection in India with prevalence varying from 36.6% to 78.4%. Topical azoles and allylamines are used to treat localized dermatophytosis but has disadvantages such as long duration of therapy, poor compliance, and high relapse rate. Luliconazole is a newer topical imidazole antifungal applied once daily with greater reservoir property in stratum corneum.

Aims and Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of topical luliconazole versus topical clotrimazole in tinea corporis and tinea cruris.

Materials and Methods: An open-labeled randomized comparative study in the Dermatology Outpatient Department of Tirunelveli Medical College done from September 2015 to September 2016. Patients with tinea corporis/tinea cruris were randomized into two groups to receive topical luliconazole cream once daily for 2 weeks or topical clotrimazole cream twice daily for 4 weeks. Scrapings from lesion were taken for mycological assessment. Clinical and mycological cure was assessed at each visit.

Results: Each group had 50 patients. At the end of 1st week, the mycological cure was 78% in luliconazole and 12% in clotrimazole (P < 0.05) and complete clearance was achieved in 11 patients (22%) in luliconazole group. By the end, 98% got cured in luliconazole group and 80% in the clotrimazole group (P < 0.05). Relapse occurred in 20% in clotrimazole group as against 4% in luliconazole group (P < 0.05). Both groups showed only mild application site reactions except one patient who developed hypersensitivity to clotrimazole.

Conclusions: Topical luliconazole was better in achieving faster mycological and clinical cure with lower relapse.

Key words: Clotrimazole; Dermatophytosis; Efficacy; Luliconazole