Application of cantharidin, retinoic acid cream and salicylic acidy in multiple palmoplantar warts.

OBJECTIVE: Multiple palmoplantar warts, caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, were investigated for clinical efficacy using cantharidin, retinoic acid cream, and salicylic acid cream. METHODS: A total of 110 patients with multiple palmoplantar warts were enrolled. The experimental group (54 cases) received a 1:1:1 combination (CRS) of 0.25% cantharidin, 0.1% retinoic acid cream, and 5% salicylic acid, applied with pressurized encapsulation for 8 h every night, three times per week. The control group (56 cases) underwent conventional liquid nitrogen freezing. Monthly follow-ups assessed cure rate, effective rate, dermatological life quality index (DLQI), visual analog scale (VAS), and cost, with evaluations conducted after 3 months. RESULTS: The treatment group exhibited a cure rate of 85.19% and a total effective rate of 96.30%, surpassing the control group with rates of 39.29% and 51.79%, respectively (p < 0.05). The treatment group's DLQI score (1.84 ± 1.06) was significantly lower than the control group's score (6.04 ± 1.78) (p = 0.0005). Additionally, the treatment group's VAS score (1.84 ± 1.06) was notably lower than the control group's score (8.56 ± 1.07) (p < 0.0001). The treatment group's total cost (43.20 ± 2.85) was markedly lower than the control group's cost (206.38 ± 90.81), with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The combination of cantharidin, retinoic acid cream, and salicylic acid with local encapsulation is a safe, effective, economical, and convenient treatment method for multiple palmoplantar warts, exhibiting few side effects and showing promise.

Energy-Based Devices for the Treatment of Cutaneous Verrucae: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Warts are one of the most common benign neoplasms caused by human papillomavirus infection and often pose a therapeutic challenge. OBJECTIVE: To summarize the current evidence on the safety and efficacy of laser and energy-based devices for the treatment of cutaneous verrucae. METHODS: A comprehensive systematic review of the literature on laser and energy-based devices for the treatment of cutaneous verrucae was performed. RESULTS: A total of 904 unique studies were identified, of which 109 were included in this review. The most commonly used lasers as a single treatment modality for verrucae included the long-pulsed Nd:Yag (n = 20) and pulsed dye (n = 18) lasers. Other modalities included the CO2 ablative laser (n = 10), photodynamic therapy (n = 11), local hyperthermia (n = 11), microwave therapy (n = 2), and nanopulse stimulation (n = 1). Other studies combined energy-based modalities with additional treatments, such as retinoids, imiquimod, and intralesional bleomycin. Overall, such devices were generally well-tolerated, with only a mild side effect profile. CONCLUSION: Overall, the use of laser and energy-based devices is a safe and well-tolerated option for cutaneous verrucae that is relatively less invasive than surgical interventions. Future studies using more consistent outcome assessment tools will be valuable to help clinicians develop device-specific protocols and treatment regimens to ensure replicable and effective outcomes.

Cold urticaria as a complication of cryotherapy in the treatment of viral warts.

Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen has been established as the first-line treatment for pediatric patients with viral warts. Cold-induced urticaria (CU) is a rare skin reaction triggered by cold stimuli. We present the case of a pediatric patient with viral warts who developed CU after receiving cryotherapy.

Cryotherapy versus topical nitric-zinc complex solution for the treatment of plantar warts: A randomized controlled trial.

Cryotherapy is commonly regarded as the primary treatment method for plantar warts. A new medical device called nitric-zinc complex solution (NZCS) has also emerged as a potential alternative for wart treatment. The main aim of this study was to analyze and compare the effectiveness of cryotherapy using liquid nitrogen and NZCS in treating plantar warts. We conducted a randomized and controlled clinical trial involving patients with plantar warts. A total of 62 patients were enrolled in the study and monitored for 12 weeks or until their warts were completely resolved. The patients received either cryotherapy or NZCS, with a maximum of six treatment applications. The cure rate was 65.5% in the group treated with cryotherapy and 56.6% in the group treated with NZCS. The average number of treatment applications required for curing warts was significantly lower in the cured group (3.28 ± 1.63) than in the group with unresolved warts (5.5 ± 1.27) (p < 0.01). Moreover, the average number of applications was lower in the cryotherapy group (3.6 ± 1.8) than in the NZCS group (4.8 ± 1.8) (p < 0.01). Based on the findings, NZCS could be considered a favorable first-line treatment option for plantar warts.

Intralesional Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccine versus Tuberculin Purified Protein Derivative Injections in the Treatment of Palmoplantar and Periungual Warts: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Palmoplantar and periungual warts tend to be recalcitrant. Intralesional immunotherapy can provide high efficacy with additional benefit to distant warts. However, evidence on comparative effects between intralesional immunotherapy with measles, mumps, rubella vaccine (MMR) and tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) and roles of dermoscopy in predicting treatment outcomes in palmoplantar/periungual warts is limited. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to compare efficacy and safety of intralesional MMR and PPD injections in treatment of palmoplantar/periungual warts and explore associations between dermoscopic findings and treatment outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind randomized controlled trial involving 40 patients with palmoplantar/periungual warts who were equally assigned to receive MMR or PPD. Intralesional injection was done every 2 weeks until clearance or maximum of 5 treatments. RESULTS: Complete resolution was higher in MMR than PPD group (90.0% vs. 80.0% in index lesion and 81.3% vs. 54.6% in distant lesions, respectively), although the differences were statistically nonsignificant. Dermoscopic findings were not significantly associated with complete resolution. Local swelling, i.e., the most common adverse event, occurred more frequently in PPD (40.0%) than MMR group (10.0%). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that intralesional immunotherapy with either MMR or PPD is efficacious in palmoplantar/periungual warts, with MMR showing a trend toward higher clearance and lower adverse events.

Treatment of plane warts with long pulse ND - YAG laser 532 nm.

BACKGROUND: Warts are one of the contagious viral diseases that may cause disturbing cosmetic problems. Plane warts represents a common self-limiting viral infection of the skin caused by the Human Papilloma Virus, however, those that do not disappear by themselves can be very difficult to treat with no uniformly effective treatment modality. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of long pulsed 532 nm ND:YAG  laser in the treatment of plane warts. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this therapeutic clinical trial study, 34 patients with plane warts were enrolled. Each patient was eligible for up to three treatment sessions administrated at 2 weeks intervals with long pulsed ND:YAG  laser at a spot size 3 mm; wavelength 532 nm; pulsed duration 20 ms; and fluence 30 J/cm2 . The patients were assessed before each treatment session and at 3 months after the last treatment session. The response to treatment was graded using four points scale: Scale 1 = poor: <25%, Scale 2 = fair: 25%-50%, Scale 3 = good: 51%-75%, Scale 4 = excellent: >75%. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients only with a total of 478 lesions, completed the study; their ages ranged from (6-45) years with a mean ± SD 19.95 ± 13.142 years. Thirteen patients (59.09%) were female and nine (40.90%) were male. The results from this study showing that long pulsed ND:YAG laser 532 nm led to an excellent response in 19 patients (86.36%) in which 15 of 19 patients showed a complete response (78.94%); one patient showed a good response (4.545%), one showed a fair response (4.545%) and one showed a poor response (4.545%) at the end of three-months follow up. The difference was statistically significant; the P value at the three months follow-up was 0.002. The cumulative clearance rate after the first, second, and third treatment sessions was 58.4%, 77.7%, and 89.9% respectively. Recurrence was seen in only one patient (4.545%). Side effects were generally mild and didn't prevent normal activity. CONCLUSION: Long pulsed ND:YAG laser 532 nm appears to be an effective method for treatment of plane warts.

Comparative Study Among CO 2 Laser, Intralesional Vitamin D3, and Combined Intralesional Vitamin D3 and CO 2 Laser in Treatment of Palmoplantar Warts.

BACKGROUND: Many therapeutic modalities are used for palmoplantar warts; whether destructive, such as chemical cautery, electrocautery, cryocautery, surgical removal, and laser ablation, or immunotherapeutic, stimulating the immune system against the virus such as intralesional vitamin D3 injection. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of intralesional vitamin D injection combined with CO 2 laser to the efficacy of either modality alone. PATIENT AND METHODS: Eighty age- and sex-matched patients with palmoplantar warts were divided into 4 groups: Group A received intralesional vitamin D3 injections, group B received ablative CO 2 laser, group C received CO 2 laser and intralesional vitamin D3 injection, and group D (control group) were injected intralesionally with normal saline. Assessment was performed clinically, photographically, and dermoscopically before and after treatment to evaluate the response, and then, another assessment was performed after 3 months to detect any recurrence. RESULTS: Complete clearance was seen in 90% of cases in group C, in 80% in group A, and in 75% in group B with no statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: Intralesional vitamin D, CO 2 laser, and the combination show comparable efficacy and recurrence rates. Intralesional vitamin D maybe a better option for people with a relative contraindication to CO 2 laser.

Dual-wavelength long-pulsed 755-nm alexandrite/1,064-nm Nd:YAG laser versus Nd:YAG alone for treatment of palmoplantar verruca.

We compared the effectiveness and safety of the long-pulsed neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser alone and combined with a 755-nm alexandrite laser for treating palmoplantar warts. We divided patients into two groups to receive up to four monthly treatments with Nd:YAG alone (single-wavelength) or combined with the alexandrite laser (dual-wavelength). We assessed treatment responses (according to clearance rate), vascular/hyperkeratosis grades, and patient satisfaction and pain ratings. The differences in treatment response (p = .348), patient satisfaction (p = .560), and pain ratings (p = .728) between the groups were not significant. The single- and dual-wavelength treatment options were equally effective in treating recalcitrant palmoplantar warts.

Efficacy of Cryotherapy Combined With Intralesional Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) Versus Intralesional PPD Monotherapy in the Treatment of Multiple Common Warts.

INTRODUCTION: Intralesional antigen immunotherapy represents a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of different types of warts, particularly if multiple and/or recalcitrant. AIM: to investigate the efficacy and safety of combined cryotherapy with intralesional purified protein derivative (PPD) immunotherapy in the treatment of multiple common warts. METHODS: Fifty patients were randomly divided into two groups (25 patients each): Group A: receiving intralesional PPD immunotherapy for the largest wart, while group B: receiving cryotherapy for all warts plus intralesional PPD for the largest wart. Treatments were performed every 2 weeks for a maximum of four sessions. Photographs were taken at baseline and at each visit and clinical response was evaluated by the reduction in number and size of warts. Adverse effects were recorded. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in size and number of warts in both groups (P < .001), with no significant difference between the two groups. Complete clearance of the lesions was observed in 48% of patients in group A and 44% in group B (P = .39). Higher rates of near complete/complete response were achieved after fewer sessions (2, 3 sessions) in group B (P = .002). Blistering was common after cryotherapy. Higher rate of hypopigmentation was noticed after combined treatment than after PPD monotherapy (56%, 8% respectively; P < .001), which resolved gradually. CONCLUSION: Both intralesional PPD alone and combined cryotherapy with PPD are safe and effective in clearing of common warts. Cryotherapy may be a successful adjunct to intralesional PPD immunotherapy that helps in reducing the number of treatment sessions.The study protocol was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with ID: NCT04288817.

Intralesional Bleomycin Versus Cryotherapy For Treatment Of Cutaneous Warts: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of intralesional bleomycin in comparison to cryotherapy in the treatment of cutaneous warts. Methods: The randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Dermatology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from January to July 2021, and comprised patients of either gender aged 18-60 years who had cutaneous warts for 1-48 weeks. The subjects were divided into group A treated with 0.1% intralesional bleomycin, and group B were treated with cryotherapy through non probability consecutive sampling. Follow-up examination was done at the 2, 4 and 6 weeks. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. RESULTS: Of the 154 patients, 96(62.3%) were male and 58(37.7%) were females. The overall mean age was 33.253±6.726 years. There were 77(50%) patients in each of the two groups. The therapy after 6 weeks was found to be effective 73(94.8%). group A patients and 57(74%) group B patients (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Intralesional bleomycin was found to be more successful than cryotherapy in the treatment of cutaneous warts.

Long-pulsed neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser versus cryotherapy for the treatment of cutaneous warts: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies have shown promising therapeutic effects of long-pulsed neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet (LP-Nd:YAG) laser on warts. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether LP-Nd:YAG laser was superior to cryotherapy for cutaneous warts. METHODS: In this study, 150 adult patients with warts were randomized equally to receive laser or cryotherapy every 3 to 4 weeks, for a maximum of 4 sessions. The primary outcomes were the cure rates at 16 weeks and 6 months; secondary outcomes included time to clearance of warts and treatment-related adverse effects. RESULTS: There was no difference in the cure rate for laser versus cryotherapy at 16 weeks (54.1% vs 46.7%, respectively) and 6 months (59.5% vs 57.3%, respectively). However, time to clearance of warts, up to 16 weeks and 6 months, tended to be shorter for laser versus cryotherapy (P = .04 and .08, respectively). Post hoc analyses showed a significantly higher cure rate for laser versus cryotherapy in 3 subgroups of human papillomavirus 2/27/57-induced recalcitrant warts but not in their counterpart subgroups. Laser had more mild adverse effects. LIMITATIONS: Single center. CONCLUSIONS: The overall therapeutic effects of LP-Nd:YAG laser were similar to cryotherapy, but laser may be more effective to relatively recalcitrant warts and may be associated with shorter time to clearance of warts.

Combined intralesional injection of tuberculin purified protein derivative plus cryotherapy versus each alone in the treatment of multiple common warts.

Different modalities are used for treatment of common warts, but none of them had been proved the best in achieving complete cure. We aim to compare the effect of cryotherapy, intralesional injection of tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) and cryotherapy combined with intralesional injection of tuberculin PPD in the treatment of multiple common warts. This study is a randomized clinical trial in which the patients were randomly divided into three groups; group (A) included 25 patients subjected to cryotherapy, group (B) included 25 patients subjected to intralesional injection of tuberculin PPD and group (C) included 25 patients subjected to cryotherapy plus intralesional injection of tuberculin PPD. All the three groups showed a significant clinical improvement (p < 0.001) with statistically significant difference between cryotherapy group (A) and intralesional injection of tuberculin PPD group (B) (p < 0.001) and between cryotherapy group (A) and cryotherapy plus intralesional injection of tuberculin PPD group (C) (p < 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference between both intralesional injection of tuberculin PPD group alone (B) and cryotherapy plus intralesional injection of tuberculin PPD group (C) (p = 0.213). In Conclusion the cryotherapy combined with intralesional injection of PPD and intralesional injection of PPD alone are better than cryotherapy alone in treatment of multiple common warts. However, better response could be reached in combination of both cryotherapy and intralesional PPD with less number of sessions.

A multi center real world observation to evaluate the efficacy of cryotherapy versus local hyperthermia for the treatment of plane warts.

Most plane warts are recalcitrant to treatment. Both cryotherapy and local hyperthermia have been applied to treat plane warts. However, no direct comparative study on their respective efficacy and safety has ever been performed. To assess the efficacy and safety of local hyperthermia at 43 ± 1°C versus liquid nitrogen cryotherapy for plane warts. Sequential patients with plane warts entered the study, either receiving cryotherapy or local hyperthermia therapy at the discretion of the patients and the recommendations of consultants. Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen was delivered in two sessions 2 weeks apart, while local hyperthermia was delivered on three consecutive days, plus two similar treatments 10 ± 3 days later. The temperature over the treated skin surface was set at 43 ± 1°C for 30 min in each session. The primary outcome was the clearance rates of the lesions 6 months after treatment. Among the 194 participants enrolled, 183 were included in the analysis at 6 months. Local hyperthermia and cryotherapy achieved clearance rates of 35.56% (48/135) and 31.25% (15/48), respectively (p = 0.724); recurrence rates of 16.67% (8/48) and 53.33% (8/15) (p = 0.01); and adverse events rates of 20.74% (28/135) and 83.33% (40/48), respectively (p < 0.001). Cryotherapy had a higher pain score (p < 0.001) and a longer healing time (p < 0.001). Local hyperthermia at 43°C and cryotherapy had similar efficacy for plane warts. Local hyperthermia had a safer profile than cryotherapy but it required more treatment visits during a treatment course. More patients preferred local hyperthermia due to its treatment friendly nature.

Comparative efficacy of using a combination of intralesional purified protein derivative with low dose isotretinoin in the treatment of recalcitrant common warts.

Intralesional immunotherapy with purified protein derivative (PPD) is an effective and tolerable therapeutic modality for the treatment of common warts. However, the complete clearance rates are still unsatisfactory. We thought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding low dose isotretinoin to intralesional PPD versus PPD monotherapy for viral warts. The study included two groups: Group (A) was treated by intralesional PPD at 2-week intervals until complete clearance or for a maximum of six sessions in addition to an oral placebo. Group (B): was treated with both intralesional PPD and low dose isotretinoin for a 3-month course. There was no statistically significant difference between both groups regarding the therapeutic response. In common warts, the low dose of isotretinoin did not add a true therapeutic value in the studied groups. Perhaps higher doses of isotretinoin could provide a better response, which warrants further investigation.

Intralesional combined furosemide and digoxin in cutaneous warts treatment: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Although being a benign lesion, Warts can affect the quality of life by causing discomfort, disfigurement, and social embarrassment besides the tendency to spread. Cutaneous wart treatment faces many challenges as the development of an antiviral drug that can eradicate the human papilloma virus (HPV) is difficult. This clinical study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of intralesional combined furosemide and digoxin in the treatment of multiple cutaneous warts. This double blinded randomized clinical trial included 80 adult patients with multiple cutaneous warts (≥2 warts) who were randomized into two groups, Group I (40 patients) treated with intralesional combined furosemide and digoxin and Group II (40 patients) who were treated with intralesional normal saline solution as a control group, weekly till improvement or for maximum five sessions. Clinical and dermoscopic evaluation at baseline, every session, and monthly for 6 months after the last session to detect any recurrence was performed. Complete wart clearance was observed in 92.5% of patients in the intralesional combined furosemide and digoxin group (Group I) compared with 10.0% in saline group (Group II), with highly statistically significant difference (P-value = 0.000). Pain during injection in 95.0% and 45.0% of patients in Group I and Group II respectively, treatment group was superior compared to control group. Intralesional injection of combined furosemide and digoxin can be a safe and effective treatment option in multiple cutaneous warts with minimal side effects in this study.

Intralesional immunotherapy for multiple recalcitrant plantar warts: Candida antigen is superior to intralesional purified protein derivative.

Treatment of recalcitrant plantar warts represent a highly challenging issue for both patients and physicians. Candida antigen and purified protein derivative (PPD) have shown promising efficacy in the treatment of warts, however no previous studies have compared both antigens for recalcitrant plantar warts. To assess the efficacy and safety of intralesional Candida antigen versus intralesional PPD in the management of recalcitrant plantar warts. The study included 120 adult patients with multiple recalcitrant plantar warts. They were randomly assigned to one of three groups; Candida antigen, PPD, or normal saline. Injections into the largest wart were repeated every 2 weeks until clearance or for a maximum of five sessions. Complete wart clearance was reported in 33 patients (82.5%) of the Candida antigen group, in 22 patients (55.6%) of the PPD group, and in one patient (5%) of the control saline group. A statistically significant difference was found between the studied groups in favor of Candida antigen. Adverse effects were mild and insignificant in the three groups. Intralesional antigen immunotherapy by Candida antigen or PPD is a promising, safe, and cost-effective therapeutic option for multiple recalcitrant plantar warts, with statistically significant superiority of Candida antigen.

Efficacy of cryotherapy for plantar warts: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Recent systematic reviews of plantar warts continue to consider cryotherapy as one of the treatments of choice, but this method appears to have lower cure rates than alternative treatments. A systematic review using meta-analyses of the efficacy of cryotherapy in plantar warts treatment was performed. Systematic electronic searches were conducted. The primary endpoint was complete clearance of plantar warts. Risk-of-bias assessment was based on Cochrane Handbook recommendations. Meta-analyses used Review Manager v5.4.1 software. Cryotherapy appears to have lower cure rates than other treatments (odds ratio [OR] 0.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12-0.78) with substantial heterogeneity (I2  = 80%). A second subgroup analysis had low heterogeneity (I2  = 28.2%). Subgroup analysis showed that plantar wart cure rates were significantly lower with cryotherapy compared to the physical treatment group (OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.01-0.49) with substantial heterogeneity (I2  = 79%), and antiviral, chemotherapy, and retinoid group (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.14-0.66) without heterogeneity (I2  = 0%). Intralesional versus spray-on cryotherapy appears to be more effective (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.09-0.48). No difference in efficacy between two rounds of 10-s and four rounds of 5-s freeze-thaw cycles in cryotherapy was found. Evidence of the superiority of antivirals and chemotherapy over cryotherapy in the treatment of plantar warts was found. However, no evidence supports the superiority or inferiority of cryotherapy compared to other treatments.

Chemical peeling with 35% glycolic acid for the treatment of disseminated facial verruca plana: A randomized, split-face, evaluator-blinded trial.

Disseminated facial verruca plana is a chronic disorder that causes significant psychological distress. However, safe and effective treatment is lacking. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of 35% glycolic acid (GA) for the treatment of disseminated facial verruca plana. A split-face clinical trial was conducted to explore the efficacy and safety of using chemical peeling with 35% GA for the treatment of disseminated facial verruca plana. One side of the face was applied with 35% GA once every fortnight for a total of three times. Adapalene gel was applied every night to the other side of the face as the control. The clearance rate of lesions was evaluated at different time points. Between June 2020 and December 2020, 30 patients with disseminated verruca plana who visited the Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University were enrolled. After three chemical peelings with 35% GA that was applied at 2-week intervals, 15 (50%) patients achieved >70% lesion reduction. The same effective rate in the adapalene gel-treated side of the face was documented in eight patients. Subgroup analysis showed a higher clearance rate in patients with a shorter disease duration. Moreover, concurrent improvements in facial roughness were observed in the 35% GA-treated group. Adverse effects including mild erythema and desquamation were observed during chemical peeling with 35% GA. In conclusion, chemical peeling with 35% GA could be a safe and effective option for treating disseminated facial verruca plana, especially for those who desire skin improvement.

The efficacy and safety of topical Tretinoin combined with superficial X-ray therapy (SXRT) in treating periungual warts.

There are multiple treatment modalities for periungual warts (PWs), although most are destructive and painful, limiting their application. Radiotherapy is a non-invasive method suitable for treating PW patients with contraindications to invasive procedures. To investigate the efficacy and safety of topical Tretinoin combined with Superficial X-ray therapy (SXRT) in treating PWs. This study included patients with 65 PWs who underwent treatment and a 3-month follow-up. Twenty four PWs were subjected to SXRT alone (group A). The remaining 41 PWs were subjected to SXRT combined with the application of the Tretinoin cream from the first day (group B). The overall clinical response rate, recurrence rates, cosmetic outcomes, and adverse events were observed during the follow-up period. The complete clearance rate (75% vs. 92.7% in groups A and B, respectively) and healing times (19.9 vs. 16.0 days in groups A and B, respectively) between the two groups were significantly different (p < 0.046 and 0.04), indicating the combination treatment is more effective. Notably, there was no damaging or permanent deformation on the nail, and the other adverse effects were mild and bearable. Topical Tretinoin combined with SXRT therapy is an effective strategy for treating PWs, with minor side effects. It is painless and with excellent cosmetic outcomes.

Comparison of the efficacy of intralesional 5-fluorouracil/lidocaine/epinephrine injection with cryotherapy to treat common and palmoplantar warts: A randomized, controlled trial.

Cutaneous warts are treated by different treatments with various efficacy. Intralesional injection of 5-fluorouracil (IL 5-FU) has been compared with placebo and a few other wart treatments. Our objective was to compare the efficacy of IL 5-FU injection with cryotherapy to treat common and palmoplantar warts. Forty-five patients with common and palmoplantar warts were treated with either IL 5-FU admixed with lidocaine and epinephrine (5-FU + LE) or cryotherapy, once weekly for six sessions. The patients were assessed for clinical response score, the thickness of warts, pain score, and quality of life in treatment sessions, 2 and 8 weeks after the last session. Nine patients (64.3%) in the 5-FU + LE group, and five patients (35.7%) in cryotherapy group experienced complete response (p = 0.285). Both treatments caused improvement of clinical response score in the patients during the treatment time (p < 0.001), but the efficacy of treatments was not significantly different (p = 0.793). Changes in wart thickness were significantly more marked in the 5-FU + LE group compared to the cryotherapy group (p = 0.021). The patients in the cryotherapy group experienced more severe pain compared to the 5-FU + LE group (p = 0.011). The quality of life better improved in the 5-FU + LE group compared to the cryotherapy group (p = 0.02). To conclude, most of the patients that experienced complete clinical response had received 5-FU + LE injection, though the difference was not significant. However, 5-FU + LE injection accompanied less pain and caused more reduction in wart thickness and more improvement in quality of life compared to the cryotherapy.