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Updated: Sep 10, 2025

Author Spotlight: Dermatopathology and the Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Published on: November 8, 2024
Intralesional Injection of Vitamin D3 for Treatment of Cutaneous Warts: A Randomized, Double-Blind,
Stephen P Merry1, David N Brennan2, Michelle J Duvall1
1Department of Family Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Introduction:
Treatment of cutaneous warts with intralesional vitamin D3 has demonstrated promising results in over 35 studies with methodological limitations.
Methods:
We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in our primary care procedure clinic of intralesional vitamin D3 12 000 IU vs placebo in cutaneous warts every 4 weeks up to 3 times. Warts were assessed 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks after the initial injection. The primary outcome was complete wart resolution. Reduction in wart size was a secondary outcome.
Results:
Between October 2020 and April 2023, we enrolled 77 participants with 1 or more cutaneous warts (41 and 36 in vitamin D3 and placebo groups, respectively) with untreated (32%) and recalcitrant (69%) warts. At 24 weeks, the index wart had resolved in 12 (30%) of vitamin D3 and 10 (31%) placebo participants. Treatment with vitamin D3 had no effect on wart surface area in an adjusted model nor wart resolution in analysis adjusted for baseline wart size, multiple warts, and the vehicle (OR 0.31 [95% CI] 0.01-10.3; P = 0.51).
Conclusions:
These results demonstrate a lack of benefit of intralesional vitamin D3 in cutaneous warts.(ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT04278573).
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