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Zaraa I, Dehavay F, Richert B. Onychomycosis. HAND SURGERY & REHABILITATION 2024; 43S:101638. [PMID: 38218374 DOI: 10.1016/j.hansur.2024.101638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail, and the most common nail infection worldwide, causing discoloration and thickening of the nail plate. It is predominantly caused by dermatophytes. Clinical presentation is polymorphous. Diagnosis must be confirmed by mycological examination before initiating any therapy. Management is an ongoing challenge, often requiring several months' treatment, with a high risk of recurrence. Treatment must be adapted to clinical presentation and severity and to the patient's history and wishes. Debridement of all infected keratin is the first step, reducing fungal load. Systemic treatments are more effective than topical treatments, and combining the two increases the cure rate. Terbinafine is the drug of choice for dermatophyte onychomycosis, due to low drug interaction and good cost-effectiveness. Itraconazole and fluconazole are broad-spectrum antifungals that are effective against dermatophytes, yeasts, and some non-dermatophytic molds. Recurrence rates for onychomycosis are high. Prophylactic application of topicals and avoiding walking barefoot in public places may help prevent recurence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inès Zaraa
- Dermatology Department, Saint Joseph Hospital, Paris, France.
| | - Florence Dehavay
- Dermatology Department, Université Libre de Bruxelles, University Hospital Brugmann and Saint-Pierre, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Bertrand Richert
- Dermatology Department, Université Libre de Bruxelles, University Hospital Brugmann and Saint-Pierre, Brussels, Belgium.
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Ramzy B, Emily AH, Jiryis B, Ziad K. Nd:YAG 1064 nm laser treatment for onychomycosis - is it really effective? A prospective assessment for efficiency and factors contributing to response. Mycoses 2024; 67:e13657. [PMID: 37864392 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Onychomycosis is a highly prevalent and persistent nail disorder primarily caused by dermatophytes. The effectiveness of current topical and systemic antifungals is limited by the extent and severity of the infection, patient demographics and health status, hepatic toxicity, drug interactions and low compliance. Laser therapy is a promising modality for safe and cost-effective removal of mycotic nail. This prospective study assessed the performance of a multi-series long-pulsed Nd:YAG 1064 nm regimen (30-40 J/cm2 , 1 Hz) in the treatment of 213 mycotic nails in 31 patients. Pain and discomfort were scored at each treatment session and mycological and clinical cure rates were determined 3 months after the last treatment session. Patients presented with mostly severe (mean SCIO score: 21.9 ± 8.9), T. rubrum-positive (87.1%) infections. Most (61%) had a family history of onychomycosis and a significant proportion had comorbidities, including hypertension (38.7%), hyperlipidemia (35.5%) and/or diabetes (12.9%). Treatment was well tolerated and there were no reports of nail deformity or burns. By 3 months post-treatment, mycological cure was achieved by 4 (12.9%) and visual improvements were noted for 10 (32.3%) patients, including 3 (9.7%) with moderate to significant improvements. Clinical response correlated with baseline SCIO ≤ 20 (OR: 0.9 [0.13-6.52]), family history of onychomycosis (OR: 0.27 [0.04-1.50]) and comorbidities (OR: 0.44 [0.05-3.74]). In conclusion, Nd:YAG 1064 nm laser is safe and effective for the management of mild-to-moderate onychomycosis in diverse populations. Further studies will be necessary to adjust treatment parameters to patient and nail profiles and to determine the impact of combined laser and topical therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batheesh Ramzy
- Department of Dermatology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Avitan-Hersh Emily
- Department of Dermatology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
- Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Badi Jiryis
- Department of Dermatology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
- Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Khamaysi Ziad
- Department of Dermatology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
- Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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Efficacy of laser therapy combined with topical antifungal agents for onychomycosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Lasers Med Sci 2022; 37:2557-2569. [PMID: 35484440 DOI: 10.1007/s10103-022-03561-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Onychomycosis is a common fungal infection of the nail. Laser and topical antifungal agent combination therapy is an emerging treatment for onychomycosis. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of laser and topical antifungal agent combination therapy for onychomycosis. METHODS The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and VIP databases were searched from inception to November 2021. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on laser therapy combined with topical antifungal agents for onychomycosis were included. The Cochrane Collaboration tool was used to assess the risk of bias, and Revman 5.3 software was used in the meta-analysis. RESULTS Twelve studies involving 869 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that compared with topical antifungal agents alone, laser and topical antifungal agent combination therapy was superior in terms of the complete cure rate (RR 6.04,95% CI (2.17, 16.85), P = 0.0006), mycological cure rate (RR 1.27, 95% CI (1.10, 1.48), P = 0.001), clinical effective rate (RR 1.38, 95% CI (1.20, 1.57), P < 0.00001) and patient satisfaction rate (RR 1.47,95% CI (1.17, 1.84), P = 0.0009).The subgroup analysis of outcome indicators, including mycological cure rate and clinical effective rate, demonstrated that both carbon dioxide (CO2) laser therapy combined with topical antifungal therapy and 1064-nm neodymium-doped:yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser therapy combined with topical antifungal therapy showed better results than topical antifungal therapy alone. No adverse events were identified except for three studies reporting transient burning sensation without treatment and mild to moderate pain, both of which were well tolerated. CONCLUSION The present study indicated that laser and topical antifungal agent combination therapy is effective for onychomycosis. However, more large-scale and well-designed RCTs are warranted.
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Ortner VK, Nguyen N, Brewer JR, Solovyeva V, Haedersdal M, Philipsen PA. Fractional CO 2 laser ablation leads to enhanced permeation of a fluorescent dye in healthy and mycotic nails-An imaging investigation of laser-tissue effects and their impact on ungual drug delivery. Lasers Surg Med 2022; 54:861-874. [PMID: 35451510 PMCID: PMC9544547 DOI: 10.1002/lsm.23541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Conventional oral antifungal therapies for onychomycosis (OM) often do not achieve complete cure and may be associated with adverse effects, medical interactions, and compliance issues restricting their use in a large group of patients. Topical treatment can bypass the systemic side effects but is limited by the physical barrier of the nail plate. Ablative fractional laser (AFL) treatment can be used to improve the penetration of topical drugs into the nail. This study visualized the effects of laser ablation of nail tissue and assessed their impact on the biodistribution of a fluorescent dye in healthy and fungal nail tissue. Methods For the qualitative assessment of CO2 AFL effects on healthy nail tissue, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering microscopy (CARS‐M), and widefield fluorescence microscopy (WFM) were used. To quantitate the effect of laser‐pretreatment on the delivery of a fluorescent dye, ATTO‐647N, into healthy and fungal nail tissue, ablation depth, nail plate thickness, and ATTO‐647N fluorescence intensity in three nail plate layers were measured using WFM. A total of 30 nail clippings (healthy n = 18, fungal n = 12) were collected. An aqueous ATTO‐647N solution was directly applied to the dorsal surface of 24 nail samples (healthy n = 12, fungal n = 12) and incubated for 4 hours, of which half (healthy n = 6, fungal n = 6) had been pretreated with AFL (30 mJ/mb, 15% density, 300 Hz, pulse duration <1 ms). Results Imaging revealed a three‐layered nail structure, an AFL‐induced porous ablation crater, and changes in autofluorescence. While intact fungal samples showed a 106% higher ATTO‐647N signal intensity than healthy controls, microporation led to a significantly increased fluorophore permeation in all samples (p < 0.0001). AFL processing of nail tissue enhanced topical delivery of ATTO‐647N in all layers, (average increase: healthy +108%, fungal +33%), most pronounced in the top nail layer (healthy +122%, fungal +68%). While proportionally deeper ablation craters correlated moderately with higher fluorescence intensities in healthy nail tissue, fungal samples showed no significant relationship. Conclusion Fractional CO2 laser microporation is a simple way of enhancing the passive delivery of topically applied ATTO‐647N. Although the impaired nail plate barrier in OM leads to greater diffusion of the aqueous solution, AFL can increase the permeability of both structurally deficient and intact nails.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinzent Kevin Ortner
- Department of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nhi Nguyen
- Department of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jonathan R Brewer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Vita Solovyeva
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.,Faculty of Mathematics and Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Merete Haedersdal
- Department of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Alshede Philipsen
- Department of Dermatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Leung AKC, Lam JM, Leong KF, Hon KL, Barankin B, Leung AAM, Wong AHC. Onychomycosis: An Updated Review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 14:32-45. [PMID: 31738146 PMCID: PMC7509699 DOI: 10.2174/1872213x13666191026090713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background: Onychomycosis is a common fungal infection of the nail. Objective: The study aimed to provide an update on the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of onychomycosis. Methods: A PubMed search was completed in Clinical Queries using the key term “onychomycosis”. The search was conducted in May 2019. The search strategy included meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, observational studies, and reviews published within the past 20 years. The search was restricted to English literature. Patents were searched using the key term “onychomycosis” in www.freepatentsonline.com. Results: Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail unit. Approximately 90% of toenail and 75% of fingernail onychomycosis are caused by dermatophytes, notably Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum. Clinical manifestations include discoloration of the nail, subungual hyperkeratosis, onycholysis, and onychauxis. The diagnosis can be confirmed by direct microscopic examination with a potassium hydroxide wet-mount preparation, histopathologic examination of the trimmed affected nail plate with a periodic-acid-Schiff stain, fungal culture, or polymerase chain reaction assays. Laboratory confirmation of onychomycosis before beginning a treatment regimen should be considered. Currently, oral terbinafine is the treatment of choice, followed by oral itraconazole. In general, topical monotherapy can be considered for mild to moderate onychomycosis and is a therapeutic option when oral antifungal agents are contraindicated or cannot be tolerated. Recent patents related to the management of onychomycosis are also discussed. Conclusion: Oral antifungal therapies are effective, but significant adverse effects limit their use.Although topical antifungal therapies have minimal adverse events, they are less effective than oral antifungal therapies, due to poor nail penetration. Therefore, there is a need for exploring more effective and/or alternative treatment modalities for the treatment of onychomycosis which are safer and more effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander K C Leung
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Joseph M Lam
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Dermatology and Skin Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kin F Leong
- Pediatric Institute, Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kam L Hon
- Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Hong Kong Children's Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | | | - Amy A M Leung
- Department of Family Medicine, The University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Alex H C Wong
- Department of Family Medicine, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Gupta AK, Venkataraman M, Shear NH, Piguet V. Onychomycosis in children - review on treatment and management strategies. J DERMATOL TREAT 2020; 33:1213-1224. [PMID: 32799713 DOI: 10.1080/09546634.2020.1810607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Onychomycosis is an uncommon condition in children with increasing global prevalence. Health practitioners should confirm the diagnosis through mycology examination and examine family members of affected individuals for onychomycosis and tinea pedis. OBJECTIVE To comprehensively summarize the treatment and management strategies for pediatric onychomycosis. METHODS We performed a comprehensive literature search in the PubMed database to identify clinical studies on treatment for mycologically-confirmed dermatophyte onychomycosis in children <18 years. The exclusion criteria were combination therapy, case reports, reviews, systematic reviews and duplicate studies. RESULTS Per-weight dosing regimens of systemic antifungal agents such as terbinafine, itraconazole, and fluconazole are found to be safe in children and are used off-label for the treatment of pediatric onychomycosis with high efficacy. Topical antifungal agents such as ciclopirox, efinaconazole, and tavaborole have established safety and efficacy in children. Children respond better than adults to topical therapy due to their thinner, faster growing nails. There is no data on the efficacy of medical devices for onychomycosis in children. CONCLUSION Efinaconazole topical solution 10% and tavaborole topical solution 5% are FDA approved for the treatment of onychomycosis in children ≥6 years; ciclopirox topical solution 8% nail lacquer is approved in children ≥12 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya K Gupta
- Department of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Mediprobe Research Inc., London, ON, Canada
| | | | - Neil H Shear
- Department of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Dermatology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Vincent Piguet
- Department of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Dermatology, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Abstract
Toenail disorders account for the majority of foot complaints for which adults seek medical care. Onychomycosis, a fungal nail infection, is the most prevalent. Dermatophytes are responsible for the majority of nail infections and cause varying degrees of nail deformities. While several treatment strategies are available, no one approach (topical, systemic, or mechanical) is highly curative. This article reviews causes, diagnosis, and treatment options for onychomycosis and provides patient education tips to prevent and limit the spread of the disease.
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Abstract
Onychomycosis is the most common affliction of the nail. It may be caused by dermatophytes, yeasts, and non-dermatophyte molds. Traditionally, oral antifungal treatments have been used to treat the fungus, although they can be accompanied by side effects and drug interactions. Topical treatments provide an alternative modality, bypassing the systemic effects of oral drugs; recent research has centered on topical drug improvement and development. Physical and laser treatments are being used in conjunction with topicals, which may help penetrate the thick nail plate. In this review, techniques from all categories are outlined: both novel experimental approaches and progress and effectiveness of recently developed treatments. More long-term studies are required to determine the efficacy of various treatments, but cure rates are improved when patients adhere to treatments and follow preventative measures to avoid disease recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya K Gupta
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto School of Medicine, Toronto, Canada.,Mediprobe Research Inc., London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nadia Stec
- Mediprobe Research Inc., London, Ontario, Canada
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钟 泽, 杨 烨, 周 思, 胡 永, 毛 祖, 吴 中, 韩 雪, 刘 康, 黄 诗, 胡 燕, 卢 艳, 周 冼. [Effect of 0.9-ms 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser combined with itraconazole for treatment of toenail onychomycosis]. NAN FANG YI KE DA XUE XUE BAO = JOURNAL OF SOUTHERN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY 2018; 38:358-362. [PMID: 29643045 PMCID: PMC6744175 DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-4254.2018.03.19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 0.9-ms 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser alone or combined with itraconazole for treatment of toenail onychomycosis. METHODS A total of 37 patients with onychomycosis (178 toenails) were randomly assigned to groups A and B, and each group was further divided into different subgroups according to the Scoring Clinical Index of Onychomycosis (SCIO) and Onychomycosis Severity Index (OSI) scoring. All the patients were treated with 0.9-ms Nd:YAG laser once a week for 8 times. The patients in group A were treated with laser alone, and those in group B were treated with laser combined with itraconazole. The clinical effect, clinical scores, appearance of the toenails and adverse reactions in the two groups were analyzed, and the patients' satisfaction rate was also investigated. RESULTS At the 12th months of follow-up, the clinical response rate and mycological cure rate in group A were 31.33% and 30.00%, respectively, similar to the rates in group B (35.79% and 41.18%, respectively) (P>0.05). After the treatments, the SCIO and OSI scores showed no significant changes in group A (P>0.05) but both increased significantly in group B (P<0.05). The response rates did not differ significantly among the subgroups with SCIO<12 or with OSI<16 (P>0.05), but showed significant differences among the subgroups with SCIO≥12 or with OSI≥16 (P<0.05). Of the total of 178 toenails, 33.71%, 74.72% and 70.79% toenails showed improvements in terms of clear nail growth, shape and color, respectively. The overall patients' satisfaction rate was 62.16%, and no adverse reactions related with the therapy were recorded in these patients. CONCLUSION For treatment of toenail onychomycosis, 0.9-ms 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser can effectively improve the aesthetic appearance of the toenails, and a combined treatment with Nd:YAG laser and itraconazole can be better option in severe cases of onychomycosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- 泽敏 钟
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
- 南方医科大学,广东 广州 510515Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - 烨玫 杨
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
- 南方医科大学,广东 广州 510515Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - 思彤 周
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
- 南方医科大学,广东 广州 510515Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - 永轩 胡
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - 祖豪 毛
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - 中 吴
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - 雪 韩
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - 康兴 刘
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - 诗韵 黄
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - 燕卿 胡
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - 艳 卢
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - 冼苡 周
- 南方医科大学第三附属医院皮肤科,广东 广州 510630Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510630, China
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Gupta AK, Versteeg SG, Shear NH. Onychomycosis in the 21st Century: An Update on Diagnosis, Epidemiology, and Treatment. J Cutan Med Surg 2017. [PMID: 28639462 DOI: 10.1177/1203475417716362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Onychomycosis accounts for 50% of all nail disease cases and is commonly caused by dermatophytes. Diabetes, human immunodeficiency virus, immunosuppression, obesity, smoking, and advancing age are predisposing factors of this fungal infection. Potassium hydroxide and culture are considered the current standard for diagnosing onychomycosis, revealing both fungal viability and species identification. Other diagnostic tests currently available include periodic acid-Schiff staining, polymerase chain reaction techniques, and fluorescent staining. Across 6 recently published epidemiology studies, the global prevalence of onychomycosis was estimated to be 5.5%, falling within the range of previously reported estimates (2%-8%). Newly approved onychomycosis treatments include efinaconazole, tavaborole, and laser therapy with lasers only approved to temporarily increase the amount of clear nail. Additional onychomycosis treatments being investigated include iontophoresis and photodynamic therapy with small open-label studies reported thus far. Preventative strategies, to help decrease recurrence and reinfection rates, include sanitisation of footwear and prophylactic topical antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya K Gupta
- 1 Department of Medicine, University of Toronto School of Medicine, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,2 Mediprobe Research, Inc, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Neil H Shear
- 3 Department of Medicine (Dermatology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology) and Department of Pharmacology, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Science Centre and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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