[Short-course treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis: comparative study of fluconazole and intra-vaginal fenticonazole]. / Il trattamento "short course" della candidosi vulvovaginale acuta: studio comparativo tra il fluconazolo ed il fenticonazolo intravaginale.

ABSTRACT

AIM: The aim of this paper was to compare the efficacy of fluconazole 150 mg and intra-vaginal fenticonazole 600mg in short-course treatment of the acute episode of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). METHODS: In a prospective study, 80 patients with clinical and mycological (SavvyCheck™ test) confirmed VVC were enrolled and divided randomly in two groups. Forty patients received oral fluconazole (150 mg), whereas 40 patients received intra-vaginal tablet fenticonazole (600 mg). Two sequential doses of azole agents were given 3 days apart (short-course treatment). Second and third visits were done for all patients seven and 30±5 days after treatment. RESULTS: At the second visit, 31 patients (77.5%) were cured clinically (Sobel score <4) in fluconazole group and 32 patients (80%) in fenticonazole group (P=0.876). The vulvovaginal pruritus was reduced in lower time in fenticonazole patients than in fluconazole group (mean 2.3 days versus 4.5 days, P=0.047). At the third visit, three patients in fluconazole group and two patients in fenticonazole group had clinical sign of VVC. CONCLUSION: Fluconazole and intravaginal fenticonazole are both effective to cure symptoms of VVC but fenticonazole appears to reduce the pruritus in less time.