Itraconazole is an oral triazole antifungal drug with an extended spectrum of activity and a favourable phar-macokinetic profile, which results in prolonged activity in skin and nail tissues. It is active against most human fungal pathogens and has been conventionally used at a dose of 100 mg once daily for 15 days in cases of tinea corporis/cruris and, at the same dose for 30 days in cases of tinea manuum/pedis. Studies in onychomycosis have indicated that 200 mg itraconazole once daily results in proportionately higher drug levels in keratinous tissues than a dose of 100 mg. In this open multicentre study, 33 patients with tinea (16 with tinea corporis and/or cruris and 17 with tinea manuum and/or pedis) received itraconazole at a higher dose (200 mg once daily) but for a shorter time (7 days in the case of tinea corporis/cruris and 15 days in the case of tinea manuum/pedis). Overall, 82.7% of the patients (66% of those with tinea corporis/cruris and 94% of those with tinea manuum/pedis) were cured or markedly improved 8 weeks after the end of treatment. These findings were confirmed by the patients' opinion of the treatment and the grading of each clinical symptom of infection. Itraconazole was well tolerated. The results suggest that shorter treatment schedules with higher doses may be at least as effective as conventional schedules.