Itraconazole for Treatment of Oral Candidosis in Pediatric Cancer Patients

Abstract

Oral candidosis commonly occurs in malignancy children undergoing antineoplastic chemotherapy. Inadequate response to antifungal treatment leads to a risk of disseminated infection. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and side effects of itraconazole on treatment of oral candidosis. Fourteen children with malignancy undergoing chemotherapy received itraconazole 100 - 200 mg/day for 10 days to treat oral candidosis. The severity of disease was defined as mild and moderate depending on the number of lesions and symptoms. Oropharyngeal lesions and symptoms were recorded initially and daily. Blood chemistries were done on day 0, day 10 and day 16. The overall response rate was 87.5 per cent. The mild group (4 cases) had a response rate of 100 per cent which had lesions and symptoms resolved on day 2 and day 1.5 ± 0.7 respectively. The moderate group (10 cases) had 8 responders (80%) whose lesions and symptoms resolved on day 6 ± 2.5 and day 4.1 ± 2.3 respectively. Side effects and abnormal blood chemistry values were not seen.