Sertaconazole nitrate cream 2% for the treatment of tinea pedis.

Tinea pedis, both in its acute and chronic phase, is a common skin condition that often is overlooked but can lead to onychomycosis and acute bacterial cellulitis if left untreated. Therefore, aggressive treatment with a topical antifungal agent is warranted. Sertaconazole nitrate cream 2% is a newer imidazole agent that possesses both fungicidal and fungistatic properties to eradicate existing infections. In addition to antifungal properties, it exhibits anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effects. Controlled clinical trials have confirmed its safety, tolerability, and efficacy in participants with tinea pedis. We report 2 patients with chronic tinea pedis of many years' duration and demonstrate the usefulness of sertaconazole nitrate cream 2% in the clinical setting. Tinea pedis was confirmed by results of a potassium hydroxide preparation. Both patients experienced marked improvement by the second week of twice-daily treatment with sertaconazole nitrate cream 2%. Clinical cure was achieved in both patients. These findings suggest that sertaconazole nitrate cream 2% is an effective option for the treatment of tinea pedis.