[Fluconazole in treatment of urinary candidiasis. Experience with 24 patients]

Since fluconazole achieves high urine concentrations, we assessed its usefulness in the treatment of urinary candidiasis. We studied 24 patients (8 male) aged 23 to 97 years old, that presented pyuria with a negative urine culture for bacteria and fungal colony counts in urine of 10(4) CFU/ml or more. Isolated strains were Candida albicans in 20 cases, Candida kefyr in one case, Candida glabrata in one case and Candida spp in two cases. All patients were treated with fluconazole in doses of 50 to 100 mg/day for 2 to 4 weeks. The fungus was eradicated in 21 patients (88%), the infection persisted in two (8.5%) and one had a relapse (4.2%). Two patients had transient elevations of transaminases, one had abdominal pain and one, a purpuric syndrome without thrombocytopenia in whom the drug was discontinued. It is concluded that fluconazole is efficacious and safe in the treatment of urinary candidiasis.