1% sulconazole cream v 2% miconazole cream in the treatment of tinea versicolor. A double-blind, multicenter study.

Sulconazole nitrate, a new imidazole derivative, was formulated at 1% concentration in a cream vehicle and compared with 2% miconazole nitrate cream in the treatment of tinea versicolor in a double-blind, multicenter, randomized, parallel clinical trial. At baseline, all of the 192 patients enrolled had a positive potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation; itching was reported by 48% of the patients. The medications were applied twice daily for three weeks. Of 181 patients analyzed for efficacy at the end of the treatment trial, 93% of sulconazole-treated patients and 87% of miconazole-treated patients had become KOH negative. The complete clearing of tinea versicolor lesions occurred in 89% of sulconazole-treated patients and 82% of miconazole-treated patients. Both drugs were well tolerated with no systemic reactions reported. Drug-related adverse cutaneous reactions, predominantly transient itching, were reported in eight patients receiving sulconazole and in four patients receiving miconazole.