A comparison of the efficacy of two vaginal creams for vulvovaginal candidiasis, and correlations with the presence of Candida species in the perianal area and oral contraceptive use.

In a double-blind clinical study, 93 patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis were randomly assigned to treatment with either clotrimazole (1%) or miconazole (2%) vaginal cream for seven days. The treatments were comparable in reducing the severity of presenting signs and symptoms. At one and four weeks posttherapy, negative vaginal cultures were found in 84.4% and 75.0%, respectively, of the clotrimazole-treated patients and in 85.4% and 74.5%, respectively, of the miconazole-treated patients. The incidences of recurrence/reinfection and treatment failures were comparable in the two groups. Treatment failures and recurrences/reinfections were not correlated with positive perianal cultures for Candida species. Patients using oral contraceptives had a higher incidence of positive vaginal cultures at four weeks posttherapy than did patients not using oral contraceptives or using other methods.