Comparative efficacy of oral and topical antifungals in recurrent vulvo-vaginal candidiasis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61529/idjp.v35i2.539Abstract
Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common gynaecological infection that significantly affects women's quality of life. Both oral and topical antifungal therapies are widely used; however, their comparative efficacy remains a subject of clinical interest.
Material and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in the Department of Gynaecology, Continental Medical College, Lahore (1st June to 30th November 2025). A total of 120 women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis were included, who were divided into Group-A (oral fluconazole) and Group-B (topical clotrimazole). Both groups were treated for three months. After completion of therapy, patients were assessed for efficacy. Intergroup comparison of parameters was performed with Mann Whitney U-test and Fisher exact or chi-square test using SPSS v22.
Results: In this study, 120 patients were included and were divided into two groups. Median age was 29.00 (15.00) years. Median duration of discharge was 9.00 (6.00) days. There were 43 (35.80%) primiparous and 77 (64.20%) multiparous women. Among all women, 94 (78.30%) were premenopausal and 26 (21.70%) were menopausal. There were 71 (59.20%) women who were diabetic. In Group-A, efficacy/complete cure was achieved in 52 (86.67%) while in Group-B, it was achieved in 35 (58.33%) of the women, (p = 0.001).
Conclusion: In this study population, oral fluconazole demonstrated significantly better efficacy than topical clotrimazole for treating recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. However, given the study limitations, these findings should be considered preliminary and require confirmation through larger randomized controlled trials.
Keywords: Candidiasis, Clotrimazole, Fluconazole, Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal.
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