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Local Hyperthermia for Warts Treatment
Published on: November 8, 2024
Systemic treatments for cutaneous warts: a systematic review
Thierry Simonart1, Viviane de Maertelaer
1Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium. tsimonar@ulb.ac.be
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment
|November 9, 2010
Summary
Systemic treatments for warts lack strong evidence. While zinc shows some promise for specific populations, most therapies, including cimetidine and homeopathy, are not consistently effective for clearing warts.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Evidence-based medicine
Background:
- Systemic therapies are commonly used for cutaneous warts.
- Evidence supporting their effectiveness is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the efficacy of systemic treatments for cutaneous warts.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (1962-2010).
- Searched MEDLINE, PubMed, Current Contents, and other sources.
- Assessed total wart clearance and adverse effects.
Main Results:
- Heterogeneity in trial design was substantial.
- No consistent evidence for cimetidine, levamisole, or homeopathy.
- Limited evidence suggests zinc may be effective.
Conclusions:
- Systemic wart treatment trials show variable methods and quality.
- Paucity of high-quality randomized, placebo-controlled trials.
- Emerging evidence supports zinc's efficacy in specific populations, particularly those with zinc deficiency.
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