Successful treatment of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis with ketoconazole

Ketoconazole, a new oral antifungal agent, was evaluated in the treatment of four patients with severe chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis refractory to standard antifungal therapy. Three had Candida esophagitis, and too had previously received intravenous amphotericin B. Initial ketoconazole dosage was 100 mg daily for patients weighing less than 30 kg and 200 mg daily for patients over 30 kg. All four patients showed dramatic improvement on the initial dose; three had complete clearing of mucous membrane and skin lesions within three weeks. Of the three patients with Candida esophagitis, one had complete clearing of esophagitis within one month and two were markedly improved. One patient required 400 mg daily to obtain complete clearing of skin and mucous membrane lesions. Two patients were maintained free of overt disease on one dose three times weekly but two patients relapsed and have required daily ketoconazole therapy to keep them free of Candida. The only side effects were mild nausea (two patients) occasional emesis at higher doses (two patients), and transient hypocholesterolemia (one patient). No adverse hematologic, gastrointestinal, or renal effects were noted. Ketoconazole appears to be a valuable oral antifungal agent for some patients with CMC.