Cutaneous candidiasis: treatment with miconazole nitrate.

In a well-controlled, double-blind, randomized study, 30 patients with cutaneous candidiasis were treated with a 2% miconazole nitrate lotion or its placebo control. By the 14th day, 13 of the 15 patients [87%] treated with miconazole nitrate achieved clinical and mycologic cures. Only a single patient treated with the placebo lotion would be classified as a therapeutic cure. In a second portion of the study those patients judged to be therapeutic failures were treated with the lotion containing 2% miconazole nitrate. By combining the results of both portions of the study we find that miconazole nitrate lotion produced both a clinical and mycologic cure in all patients receiving the active lotion. The miconazole lotion formula was well tolerated by all patients and no side effects were noted. The fact that miconazole nitrate acts rapidly in relieving symptoms, is well tolerated, and is highly effective against dermatophytes, yeasts and gram-positive bacteria, makes it a welcome addition to available topical therapy of skin infections.