[1% econazole hair-shampoo in the treatment of pityriasis capitis; a comparative study versus zinc-pyrithione shampoo].

On the basis of the assumption that Pityrosporum ovale is an important pathogenic factor in the aetiology of Pityriasis simplex capitis (dandruff), the Authors intended to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of econazole (1% hair-shampoo) in the treatment of this scalp disease. Dandruff could be considered a problem more from a cosmetic than from a medical point of view; for this reason a conventional anti-dandruff hair-shampoo containing zinc-pyrithione was selected as a control. In this open controlled study, seventy patients suffering from different forms of Pityriasis simplex capitis were enrolled at the 1th Dermatological Institute, University of Milan, and randomly assigned to the econazole and zinc-pyrithione treatment groups, respectively. At the end of the four-weeks treatment (two applications/week) a marked decrease in signs (scaling, seborrhea, erythema) and symptoms (burning, itching) was observed in both groups. Regarding the antifungal efficacy, econazole hair-shampoo was slightly better than control. General evaluation on tolerability and cosmetical patterns was favourable for both formulations.