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The future of onychomycosis therapy may involve a combination of approaches

R J Hay1

  • 1Guy's St Thomas's and King's School of Medicine, St John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's Hospital, London, UK. rod.hay@kcl.ac.uk

The British Journal of Dermatology
|January 5, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Onychomycosis, a common fungal nail infection, is rising despite new treatments. Combination therapies are gaining interest for patients at risk of treatment failure.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Onychomycosis is a prevalent fungal nail infection caused by dermatophytes.
  • Disease prevalence is increasing despite advancements in antifungal therapies.
  • Onychomycosis significantly impacts patients' quality of life, necessitating effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of onychomycosis etiology and pathogenesis.
  • To explore the reasons for treatment failures in onychomycosis.
  • To investigate the resurgence of interest in combination treatments for onychomycosis.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on onychomycosis prevalence, etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment.
  • Analysis of clinical indicators associated with poor treatment prognosis.
  • Evaluation of combination treatment strategies, including oral, topical, and surgical interventions.

Main Results:

  • Despite new antifungal drugs, onychomycosis prevalence is increasing.
  • A significant percentage of patients (25-40%) experience treatment failure.
  • Subungual fungal growth, onycholysis, and severe disease are indicators of poor prognosis.

Conclusions:

  • Combination treatments are being reconsidered for patients with a high risk of onychomycosis treatment failure or relapse.
  • Oral and topical antifungal drugs, alongside surgical techniques, are viable components of combination therapy.
  • Further research into combination therapies is warranted to improve patient outcomes in onychomycosis management.

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