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Intralesional acyclovir versus cryotherapy in treatment of plantar warts: A randomized controlled trial
Yousra Azzazi1, Basant Helal1, Shahira Ramadan1
1Dermatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Background:
Plantar warts are known for their recalcitrant nature. Intralesional acyclovir injection has been recently tried for treatment of warts.
Objective:
Comparing the efficacy and safety of intralesional acyclovir versus cryotherapy in treatment of plantar warts.
Methods:
Sixty-eight patients with plantar warts were randomized into: one group (34 patients with a total of 51 warts) received intralesional acyclovir, and the other group (34 patients with a total of 72 warts) underwent cryotherapy. Patients in both groups received a maximum of 5 sessions with 2-week intervals.
Results:
Complete cure of plantar warts was observed in 68.6% in the intralesional acyclovir group versus 61.1% in the cryotherapy group (P = .393). A significantly higher number of sessions was needed to achieve complete cure in the intralesional acyclovir group (3.8 versus 3 sessions, P = .001). The procedure was significantly more painful in the intralesional acyclovir group with an average visual analog scale score of 6.5 versus 4.65, P = .005).
Limitations:
Blinding was not feasible in this study because of the distinctly 2 different techniques of treatment modalities used.
Conclusion:
Intralesional acyclovir is a promising therapeutic modality for plantar warts, demonstrating similar efficacy to cryotherapy, but the procedure is significantly more painful.
