Topical treatment of toenail onychomycosis is effective with several antifungals, Dr. Aditya Gupta of the University of Toronto and his associates reported in an evidence-based review.
The researchers identified 28 relevant studies, 13 of which were of high quality. Four antifungals were an effective cure for mild to moderate toenail onychomycosis: amorolfine, ciclopirox, tavaborole, and efinaconazole. Efinaconazole was the most effective, but in all cases, outcomes were improved with longer treatment times and follow-ups.
Oral treatments are usually more effective for toenail onychomycosis, but are not always possible because of drug interactions, so topical treatments are important in certain patient populations, the investigators noted in the article abstract.
The article abstract can be found online in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology (doi:10.1007/s40257-014-0096-2).