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Recent Patents on Inflammation &... 2020Onychomycosis is a common fungal infection of the nail. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Onychomycosis is a common fungal infection of the nail.
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to provide an update on the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of onychomycosis.
METHODS
A PubMed search was completed in Clinical Queries using the key term "onychomycosis". The search was conducted in May 2019. The search strategy included meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, observational studies, and reviews published within the past 20 years. The search was restricted to English literature. Patents were searched using the key term "onychomycosis" in www.freepatentsonline.com.
RESULTS
Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail unit. Approximately 90% of toenail and 75% of fingernail onychomycosis are caused by dermatophytes, notably Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum. Clinical manifestations include discoloration of the nail, subungual hyperkeratosis, onycholysis, and onychauxis. The diagnosis can be confirmed by direct microscopic examination with a potassium hydroxide wet-mount preparation, histopathologic examination of the trimmed affected nail plate with a periodic-acid-Schiff stain, fungal culture, or polymerase chain reaction assays. Laboratory confirmation of onychomycosis before beginning a treatment regimen should be considered. Currently, oral terbinafine is the treatment of choice, followed by oral itraconazole. In general, topical monotherapy can be considered for mild to moderate onychomycosis and is a therapeutic option when oral antifungal agents are contraindicated or cannot be tolerated. Recent patents related to the management of onychomycosis are also discussed.
CONCLUSION
Oral antifungal therapies are effective, but significant adverse effects limit their use. Although topical antifungal therapies have minimal adverse events, they are less effective than oral antifungal therapies, due to poor nail penetration. Therefore, there is a need for exploring more effective and/or alternative treatment modalities for the treatment of onychomycosis which are safer and more effective.
Topics: Administration, Oral; Administration, Topical; Antifungal Agents; Foot Dermatoses; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Onychomycosis; Patents as Topic; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 31738146
DOI: 10.2174/1872213X13666191026090713 -
Annals of Medicine Dec 2022Nail conditions are not only aesthetic concerns, and nail changes may be a clue to an underlying systemic diseases or infection. Without timely treatment, nail diseases... (Review)
Review
Nail conditions are not only aesthetic concerns, and nail changes may be a clue to an underlying systemic diseases or infection. Without timely treatment, nail diseases can continue to worsen and significantly impair performance of daily activities and reduce quality of life. Examination of the nails is essential at every medical visit, and may uncover important findings. Brittle nail syndrome, onychomycosis, paronychia, nail psoriasis, longitudinal melanonychia, Beau's lines, onychomadesis and retronychia are common nail disorders seen in clinical practice. These conditions stem from infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic and traumatic aetiologies. Though each nail condition presents with its own distinct characteristics, the clinical findings may overlap between different conditions, resulting in misdiagnosis and treatment delays. Patients can present with nail plate changes (e.g. hyperkeratosis, onycholysis, pitting), discolouration, pain and inflammation. The diagnostic work-up of nail disease should include a detailed history and clinical examination of all 20 nail units. Dermoscopy, diagnostic imaging and histopathologic and mycological analyses may be necessary for diagnosis. Nail findings concerning for malignancy should be promptly referred to a dermatologist for evaluation and biopsy. Nail disease management requires a targeted treatment approach. Treatments include topical and/or systemic medications, discontinuation of offending drugs or surgical intervention, depending on the condition. Patient education on proper nail care and techniques to minimize further damage to the affected nails is also important. This article serves to enhance familiarity of the most common nail disorders seen in clinical practice. It will highlight the key clinical manifestations, systematic approaches to diagnosis and treatment options for each nail condition to improve diagnosis and management of nail diseases, as well as patient outcomes.Key messagesNail disease is not only a cosmetic issue, as nail changes can indicate the presence of a serious underlying systemic disease, infection or malignancy.Nail pain and changes associated with NP are physically and emotionally distressing and may contribute to functional impairment and diminished quality of life.LM is a hallmark sign of subungual melanoma and this finding warrants further investigation to rule out malignancy.
Topics: Humans; Nail Diseases; Nails; Neoplasms; Psoriasis; Quality of Life
PubMed: 35238267
DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2022.2044511 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) May 2023Onychomycosis is a common chronic fungal infection of the nail that causes discoloration and/or thickening of the nail plate. Oral agents are generally preferred, except... (Review)
Review
Onychomycosis is a common chronic fungal infection of the nail that causes discoloration and/or thickening of the nail plate. Oral agents are generally preferred, except in the case of mild toenail infection limited to the distal nail plate. Terbinafine and itraconazole are the only approved oral therapies, and fluconazole is commonly utilized off-label. Cure rates with these therapies are limited, and resistance to terbinafine is starting to develop worldwide. In this review, we aim to review current oral treatment options for onychomycosis, as well as novel oral drugs that may have promising results in the treatment of onychomycosis.
PubMed: 37233270
DOI: 10.3390/jof9050559 -
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology Mar 2022Changes in nail color can provide important clues of underlying systemic and skin disease. In particular, white discoloration (leukonychia) has a high prevalence with a... (Review)
Review
Changes in nail color can provide important clues of underlying systemic and skin disease. In particular, white discoloration (leukonychia) has a high prevalence with a wide array of potential relevant causes, from simple manicure habits to life-threatening liver or kidney failure. Therefore, a reliable assessment of the patient with leukonychia is essential. In the past, two classifications for leukonychia have been presented. The morphological classifies the nail according to the distribution of the white lines: total, partial, transversal, and longitudinal leukonychia. Mees' and Muehrcke's lines are examples of transversal leukonychia, while Terry's and Lindsay's nails are examples of total and partial leukonychia. The anatomical classifies according to the structure responsible for the white color: the nail plate in true leukonychia, the nail bed in apparent leukonychia, and the surface only in pseudoleukonychia. In this review, both morphological and anatomical features have been combined in an algorithm that enables clinicians to approach leukonychia efficiently and effectively.
Topics: Algorithms; Habits; Humans; Nail Diseases; Nails; Nails, Malformed
PubMed: 35112320
DOI: 10.1007/s40257-022-00671-6 -
American Family Physician Dec 2013Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nails that causes discoloration, thickening, and separation from the nail bed. Onychomycosis occurs in 10% of the general... (Review)
Review
Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nails that causes discoloration, thickening, and separation from the nail bed. Onychomycosis occurs in 10% of the general population, 20% of persons older than 60 years, and 50% of those older than 70 years. It is caused by a variety of organisms, but most cases are caused by dermatophytes. Accurate diagnosis involves physical and microscopic examination and culture. Histologic evaluation using periodic acid-Schiff staining increases sensitivity for detecting infection. Treatment is aimed at eradication of the causative organism and return to a normal appearance of the nail. Systemic antifungals are the most effective treatment, with meta-analyses showing mycotic cure rates of 76% for terbinafine, 63% for itraconazole with pulse dosing, 59% for itraconazole with continuous dosing, and 48% for fluconazole. Concomitant nail debridement further increases cure rates. Topical therapy with ciclopirox is less effective; it has a failure rate exceeding 60%. Several nonprescription treatments have also been evaluated. Laser and photodynamic therapies show promise based on in-vitro evaluation, but more clinical studies are needed. Despite treatment, the recurrence rate of onychomycosis is 10% to 50% as a result of reinfection or lack of mycotic cure.
Topics: Administration, Topical; Algorithms; Antifungal Agents; Combined Modality Therapy; Debridement; Decision Support Techniques; Humans; Lasers, Solid-State; Nonprescription Drugs; Onychomycosis; Photochemotherapy; Treatment Failure
PubMed: 24364524
DOI: No ID Found -
Indian Journal of Dermatology,... 2011Nail dyschromias have a wide variety of presentation. There are numerous causes of discoloration of the nail affecting the nail plate, nail attachments, or the substance... (Review)
Review
Nail dyschromias have a wide variety of presentation. There are numerous causes of discoloration of the nail affecting the nail plate, nail attachments, or the substance of the nail. The chromonychia may also be caused due to the exogenous deposition of pigments over the nail plate. Careful examination of the nail and few bed side tests may help in identifying the root cause of the nail dyschromia and many a times unravels some underlying systemic disorder too.
Topics: Color; Humans; Nail Diseases; Pigmentation; Pigmentation Disorders
PubMed: 22016271
DOI: 10.4103/0378-6323.86473