Despite the availability of multiple antifungal agents, the management of dermatophytosis remains challenging.

A retrospective cohort study analyzed the efficacy of topical Ciclopirox olamine 1% in the management of dermatophytosis. Here, records of patients with dermatophytosis, who were candidates for topical therapy only, were selected. All the patients were treated with Ciclopirox olamine 1% twice daily for six weeks. The efficacy end points were complete cure rate, mycological cure rate and clinical cure rate.

Overall, data of 613 patients were included. At the end of study period the complete, mycological and clinical cure rates were 73.89%, 75.37% and 77.65%, respectively. It was noted that 528 patients had shown treatment failures to previous topical antifungal agents while 84 patients were treatment naïve. In patients who experienced treatment failure, the complete, mycological and clinical cure rates were 72.15%, 73.48 and 75.56%, respectively. Whereas, in treatment naïve patients the complete, mycological and clinical cure rates were 84.70%, 87.05% and 90.58%, respectively. Meanwhile, 5.70% participants reported adverse events – the most common being pruritus, followed erythema, dryness and rash.

The results suggested that ciclopirox is efficacious and safe in the management of dermatophytosis. Furthermore, ciclopirox is even useful in those patients who fail to respond to other topical antifungal agents. 

Source: International Journal of Research in Dermatology. 2021;7:1. doi: 10.18203/issn.2455-4529.IntJResDermatol20205592