Toenail onychomycosis: current and future treatment options

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Mycology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Onychomycosis affects approximately 8% of the global population.
• Treatment of fungal nail infections is often difficult, with frequent treatment failures and recurrence.
• Existing therapies have limitations in cure rates and relapse prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the efficacy of current therapeutic strategies for onychomycosis.
• To compare oral, topical, and surgical treatment options.
• To identify optimal treatment protocols and areas for future research.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature on onychomycosis treatments.
• Analysis of clinical trial data for oral antifungal medications.
• Evaluation of topical treatments and adjunctive therapies.
• Consideration of surgical interventions.

Main Results:

• Oral terbinafine demonstrates high efficacy and cost-effectiveness for toenail onychomycosis, with low relapse rates.
• Oral itraconazole and fluconazole are alternatives for Candida infections.
• Topical treatments are less effective as monotherapy but can supplement systemic approaches.
• Prevention of reinfection requires further investigation.

Conclusions:

• Oral terbinafine is the current gold standard for toenail onychomycosis.
• Combination therapy or adjunct topical treatments may improve outcomes.
• Further research is essential to establish effective strategies for preventing reinfection and improving long-term management of onychomycosis.