Efficacy of Oral Itraconazole Monotherapy in Pediatric Superficial Dermatophytosis: A Prospective Study from a Tertiary Care Center

Introduction: Superficial dermatophytosis has seen a sharp rise in the recent years across India, becoming more widespread and difficult to manage. This concerning trend is now increasingly evident in children, and hence, the need to evaluate the effectiveness of systemic therapies like itraconazole in the pediatric population. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective, interventional study conducted for 1 year. Detailed history, clinical examination, direct microscopy, and polymerase chain reaction testing for species identification were performed in all patients. Eligible children were treated with oral itraconazole solution at a dosage of 5 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks. The treatment outcome was assessed based on the change in clinical composite score from baseline to 4 weeks, and adverse effects, if any, were noted. Results: A total of 53 patients were included in the study. The highest prevalence was seen in the age group of 1–5 years, and a male predominance was seen. Tinea corporis and tinea cruris were the most common clinical types, and Trichophyton interdigitale was the most frequently isolated species. Oral itraconazole showed good efficacy with 92.4% of patients achieving significant clinical improvement by the end of 4 weeks. Adverse effects were minimal and self-limiting. Conclusion: Oral itraconazole demonstrated excellent clinical response with good tolerability in children and may be considered a safe and effective treatment option in moderate-to-severe paediatric superficial dermatophytosis.