COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF TOPICAL 1% CLOTRIMAZOLE VS ORAL ITRACONAZOLE IN THE TREATMENT OF PITYRIASIS VERSICOLOR

Abstract

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of topical 1% clotrimazole with oral itraconazole in the treatment of pityriasis versicolour.

Study Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Place and Duration of the Study: This study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Abbottabad, from June 2025 to September 2025.

Methodology: 86 with clinically diagnosed pityriasis versicolour were enrolled and randomly assigned into two equal groups. Group A (n = 43) received topical 1% clotrimazole, while Group B (n = 43) was treated with oral itraconazole. Clinical efficacy was assessed at four weeks of treatment. Quantitative variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, whereas categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentages.

Results: The mean age of patients was 29.53 ± 3.69 years. Clinical efficacy was significantly higher in the topical clotrimazole group compared to the oral itraconazole group (93.0% vs 55.8%, p < 0.001). Stratified analysis proved that topical clotrimazole was much more effective in various age, gender, body mass index and moderate and severe disease cases (p < 0.05) in patients.

Conclusion: Topical clotrimazole 1% had better clinical effectiveness than oral itraconazole and can be regarded as an effective initial agent for pityriasis versicolour.