Review: oral antifungal drugs promote cure of fungal infections of the foot
QUESTION: In patients with fungal infections of the skin of the foot (tinea pedis), does oral treatment eradicate the infection?
Data sources
Studies were identified by searching Medline (1966–2000), CINAHL (to 2000), SCI and SSCI (1969–2000), EMBASE/Excerpta Medica (1980–2000), the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, CAB-Health (1973–97), HealthSTAR (1975–97); handsearching podiatry journals; reviewing bibliographies of reviews; and by contacting pharmaceutical companies and podiatry schools.
Study selection
Studies were selected if they were randomised controlled trials evaluating oral treatment in patients with clinically diagnosed and microscopy and laboratory confirmed tinea pedis.
Data extraction
2 reviewers independently extracted data on study design, condition, intervention, patient characteristics, study quality, and outcomes. The main outcome measure was mycological cure (negative results on microscopy and no dermatophyte growth in culture). Secondary outcomes were such clinical signs as redness, scaling, pustules, itching, burning, soreness; recurrence of the condition after achieving …
