A randomized, comparative trial of treatment of kerion celsi with griseofulvin plus oral prednisolone vs. griseofulvin alone.

Author(s): Hussain I, Muzaffar F, Rashid T, Ahmad TJ, Jahangir M, Haroon TS

Affiliation(s): Department of Dermatology, King Edward Medical College/Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. dderma@paknet4.ptc.pk

Publication date & source: 1999-04, Med Mycol., 37(2):97-9.

Publication type: Clinical Trial; Randomized Controlled Trial

Glucocorticoids are often recommended along with oral antifungals in the treatment of kerion celsi. In this randomized study, the efficacy of combination therapy with oral griseofulvin and oral prednisolone (n =17) was compared to oral griseofulvin alone (n=13) in the treatment of kerion celsi. Both groups were treated with oral griseofulvin for 8 weeks whereas oral prednisolone was given in tapering doses for 3-4 weeks to the first group only. The final evaluation at week 12 showed a cure rate of 100% in both groups without any significant difference in terms of clinical or mycological cure (P>0.05). No adverse events were noted in either group. In our opinion the combination of oral prednisolone with griseofulvin does not result in additional objective or subjective improvement compared to griseofulvin alone in cases with kerion celsi.