To compare the efficacy and safety of oral terbinafine versus itraconazole in the treatment of pediatric tinea capitis.

From January 2021 to December 2021, a randomized clinical trial was conducted among 53 children with tinea capitis in Beijing Children′s Hospital. These patients were randomly divided into 2 groups by using a random number table: terbinafine group treated with oral terbinafine at different doses (weight <20 kg, dose: 62.5 mg/d; weight 20 - 40 kg, dose: 125 mg/d; weight >40 kg, dose: 250 mg/d), while itraconazole group treated with oral itraconazole at doses of 3 - 5 mg·kg^-1·d^-1. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 23.0 software, and enumeration data were compared between groups by using chi-square test or Fisher′s exact test.

Totally, 27 patients were treated with oral terbinafine, including 17 with tinea alba and 10 with kerion; 26 were treated with oral itraconazole, including 17 with tinea alba and 9 with kerion. After treatment, 14 (51.85%) patients were cured in the terbinafine group, including 5 with tinea alba and 9 with kerion, while 25 (96.15%) were cured in the itraconazole group, including 16 with tinea alba and 9 with kerion. The response rate was significantly higher in the itraconazole group than in the terbinafine group (χ² = 13.37, P < 0.001) .

The efficacy of itraconazole was superior to that of terbinafine in the treatment of pediatric tinea alba, but their efficacy was equivalent in the treatment of pediatric kerion.

Tinea capitis; Terbinafine; Itraconazole; Child