Abstract
BACKGROUND: Topical antifungals especially azole group of drugs are effective agents in the treatment of dermatophytoses producing 100% clinical and mycological cure. Each of them vary having specific characteristics to tackle several clinical challenges like high relapse rate, recurrences and quality of life. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy and safety of Eberconazole and Sertaconazole in tinea infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a randomized, observer-blinded, parallel-group study conducted at a dermatology out-patient department (OPD) of tertiary care teaching hospital in Puducherry. 85 patients with tinea corporis and tinea cruris infections who visited the dermatology OPD were enrolled in this study. The treatment phase involved two groups receiving either Sertaconazole 2% cream or Eberconazole 1% applied topically twice daily for 4 weeks. At the end of treatment phase, there was a 'follow-up phase' at the end of 4 weeks, where the patients were assessed clinically and mycologically. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics using MS Excel version 2019 and SPSS version 15 for Windows. RESULTS: The primary efficacy variables namely change in pruritus, erythema, induration, scaling and mycological cure significantly improved in both the groups, as compared to baseline (P < 0.001), in the treatment phase and follow-up phase. Intergroup comparison with respect to pruritus and scaling showed significant difference (P < 0.001), suggestive of better reduction of pruritus and scaling scores at 4 weeks with Sertaconazole when compared to Eberconazole. CONCLUSIONS: Sertaconazole was better than Eberconazole in relieving signs and symptoms of dermatophytoses, especially pruritus, thereby improving patients' quality of life.