CRYOTHERAPY OF COMMON VIRAL WARTS AT INTERVALS OF 1, 2 AND 3 WEEKS

Citation
Jf. Bourke et al., CRYOTHERAPY OF COMMON VIRAL WARTS AT INTERVALS OF 1, 2 AND 3 WEEKS, British journal of dermatology, 132(3), 1995, pp. 433-436
Citations number
2
Categorie Soggetti
Dermatology & Venereal Diseases
ISSN journal
00070963
Volume
132
Issue
3
Year of publication
1995
Pages
433 - 436
Database
ISI
SICI code
0007-0963(1995)132:3<433:COCVWA>2.0.ZU;2-P
Abstract
We studied the efficacy, and time to clearance, of more frequent cryot herapy of viral warts, by randomizing 225 patients to receive treatmen t at 1-, 2- or 3-weekly intervals, The mean times to clearance of wart s in each group were 5.5, 9.5 and 15 weeks in the weekly, 2-weekly and 3-weekly groups, respectively (P < 0.01). Cure rates after 3 months c orrelated with frequency of treatment (P < 0.05). After 3 months, 43% (66% of non-defaulters) had cleared in the group treated weekly, 37% ( 47%) of the group treated every 2 weeks, and 26% (30%) of those treate d every 3 weeks. The mean numbers of treatments needed to achieve clea rance were similar in each group (5.5, 4.75 and 5 treatments). After 1 2 treatments, cure rates were similar for all three groups: 43% for th e weekly-treated group (3 months), 48% for the 2-weekly group (6 month s), and 44% for the 3-weekly group (9 months). Percentage cure is rela ted to the number of treatments received, and independent of the inter val between treatments, A more rapid cure may, therefore, be achieved by more frequent treatment.