Itraconazole therapy in aspergillosis: study in 49 patients

Abstract

Itraconazole, 200 to 400 mg once daily, was administered to 49 patients with different types of aspergillosis: pulmonary aspergilloma (14 patients), chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis (14), and invasive aspergillosis (21). Itraconazole was prescribed alone or in combination or after treatment with amphotericin B and flucytosine. Of 14 aspergilloma patients, 2 were cured and 8 had symptomatic improvement. In chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis, 7 of 14 patients were cured and 6 improved significantly. In invasive aspergillosis treatment failed in 6 patients and 15 were cured. Itraconazole can be an alternative to amphotericin B in the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis. In aspergilloma itraconazole may be useful in inoperable cases.