Fluconazole Is Not Very Effective for Pediatric Tinea Capitis

The incidence of tinea capitis infection is steadily rising in the U.S. Oral griseofulvin remains the only FDA-approved therapy for tinea capitis in children, but concerns about treatment resistance are driving the search for alternative treatments. Results from several studies of fluconazole have shown its efficacy in treating tinea capitis in adults and children, but study sizes have been small. In this large, multicenter trial, investigators compared the efficacy, safety, and optimal dosing of fluconazole and griseofulvin.

They randomized 880 pediatric patients with tinea capitis to one of three treatment regimens: fluconazole 6 mg/kg/day for 3 weeks, fluconazole 6 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks, or griseofulvin 11 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks (FDA requi…