Itraconazole in the treatment of paracoccidioidomycosis: a preliminary report.

The preliminary results of itraconazole therapy in 16 patients with active paracoccidioidomycosis were evaluated. The course of therapy--itraconazole administration for six months at a dose of 100 mg per day--was completed in 13 cases. This new triazole appeared as effective as ketoconazole in reducing the symptoms and arresting the progression of the mycosis. The scoring system employed to evaluate the effect of the drug showed that the condition of no patient worsened or remained the same during therapy. On the contrary, 11 (84.6%) of the 13 patients experienced major improvement and the other two (15.4%), minor improvement. No adverse reactions were reported by the patients, and there were no toxic effects on bone marrow or liver. Although experience with itraconazole is still limited, results to date indicate that this new drug is safe and effective for the treatment of paracoccidioidomycosis. Further trials with shorter periods of therapy seem warranted.