Mycological and clinical evaluation of griseofulvin for chronic onychomycosis.

When griseofulvin became available in 1959 a critical evaluation of its use in chronic tinea of the nail was begun. Since then 122 patients have been treated with a standard dose§ (0.5 g. t.d.s. for one month followed by 0.5 g. b.d.) for a minimum of six months and 74 for two years. As the trial progressed it became evident that a longer course of treatment was required than that suggested in earlier reports on the efficacy of the drug-namely, Williams et al. (1958) and Blank et al. (1959). It was therefore decided to treat for two years and to follow up the patient for a further year without treatment. Those failing to take the drug consistently throughout the lengthy period of treatment were transferred to an " intermittent-dose group."