Abstract: 【Abstract】 Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of oral terbinafine versus itraconazole in the treatment of pediatric tinea capitis. Methods 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 SPSS 23.0 software, and enumeration data were compared between groups by using chi-square test or Fisher′s exact test. Results 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）. Conclusion 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.

Key words: Tinea capitis, Terbinafine, Itraconazole, Child