ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
Tinea corporis is a dermatophyte infection of the glabrous skin. Multiple modalities of therapy have
been used in the treatment of tinea corporis including both systemic and topical agents, such as
imidazols, triazols, allylamines, ciclopirox and griseofulvin.
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical 10% zinc sulfate solution in the treatment of tinea
corporis and tap water as placebo controlled in treatment of tinea corporis.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
This opened labeled blind-therapeutic trial done in the Department of Dermatology -Baghdad
Teaching Hospital, during October 2004 – March 2006.It consisted from 63 patients with tinea
corporis, 33 patients treated with 10% zinc sulfate (Group A) and 30 patients received distilled water
as the placebo-control group (Group B).
Full history and clinical examinations were done for all patients including all demographic aspects
related to the disease.
Every patient was instructed to apply treatment twice daily and to be seen every 3 weeks for
2months. All patients were assessed clinically and by skin scraping test before, during and after
treatment.
RESULTS:
Sixty three patients with tinea corporis met the inclusion criteria and enrolled in this study. Sixty
patients completed the study, three patients defaulted from the study in Group A . In Group A 30
patients received topical 10% zinc sulfate solution twice daily for two months, 17 (56.7%) females
and 13 (43.3%) male patients. Their ages ranged from 4-64 (27.87+17.68) years, while the duration
of the disease ranged from 1-13 (3.7 + 3.249) weeks. Complete cure response was observed in 13
(43.33%) patients, partial response in 7 (23.34%) patients and no response in 10 (33.33%) patients
while in in Group B, 30 patients received distilled water twice daily for two months as placebocontrol group , 10 (33.33%) females and 20 (66 .67 %) male patients. Their ages ranged from 8- 66
(30.67 + 15.66) years, and the duration of the disease ranged from 1-30 (7.48+ 6.98) weeks. The
clinical response was two (6.67 %) patients with partial improvement and 28 (93.33%) patients with
no improvement.
No side effects reported apart from mild irritation in the beginning of treatment which resolved soon
after continuation of therapy that did not require stopping the treatment.
CONCLUSION:
Topical 10% zinc sulfate solution is a new effective, safe and non costly formulation in the treatment
of tinea corporis but it is slow in clearance of the lesions and higher concentrations of zinc sulfate
like 20% might increase the effectiveness of the drug and shorten the duration of therapy.
KEYWORDS: tinea corporis, topical zinc sulfate solution
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2013
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