Comparing the Therapy of Otomycosis Using Clotrimazole with Iodine Tincture: A Clinical Trial

Introduction: Otomycosis, as a common superficial fungal infection, is the term to infection of external auditory canal. Despite numerous studies on diverse antifungal agents, there is no common consent on effective agent for treatment of otomycosis.  Therefore, the purpose of this study is compared therapy of otomycosis using two therapeutic agents; clotrimazole and iodine tincture.   Materials and Methods: This research is a clinical trial study included ۱۶۰ patients who were presented otomycosis. All patients were randomly assigned into two therapeutic groups of clotrimazole and Iodine Tincture (۸۰ cases in each group). The results of response to thrapy were evaluated on ۴, ۱۰, and ۲۰ days. Statistical analyses were performed using Independent-Samples t-test, Chi-Square, and Fishers҆ Exact tests in SPSS software v.۱۸, in ۰.۰۵ significant level.   Results: Fungal species were isolated including Aspergillus (۷۲.۵%) and Candida albicans (۲۲.۵%). After ۴thday of treatment, ۷.۵% of the tincture group and ۱۱.۲% of the clotrimazole group revealed a good response to treatment (P=۰.۳۰). A good response to treatment was observed in۳۵.۰ and ۴۱.۲% of the patients on ۱۰th day of treatment (P=۰.۴۴); and in ۶۷.۵ and ۶۲.۵% of the patients on ۲۰th day of treatment (P= ۰.۲۰). There was no significant relationship between the two therapeutic arms.   Conclusion: In this study, both clotrimazole and tincture showed the identical therapeutic efficacy on otomycosis. Our findings suggested that tincture can be used as a supplementary antifungal option for treatment of otomycosis.

Keywords:

Antifungal agents , clotrimazole , Iodine tincture , Otomycosis , Mycosis