RESEARCH - The Efficacy of Duct Tape vs Cryotherapy in the Treatment of Verruca Vulgaris (the Common Wart)

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The Efficacy of Duct Tape vs Cryotherapy in the Treatment of Verruca

Vulgaris (the Common Wart)

Dean R. Focht III, MD; Carole Spicer, RN; P. Fairchok, MD

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2002;156:971-974.

Objective To determine if application of duct tape is as effective as

cryotherapy in the treatment of common warts.

Design A prospective, randomized controlled trial with 2 treatment arms

for warts in children.

Setting The general pediatric and adolescent clinics at a military

medical center.

Patients A total of 61 patients (age range, 3-22 years) were enrolled

in the study from October 31, 2000, to July 25, 2001; 51 patients

completed the study and were available for analysis.

Intervention Patients were randomized using computer-generated codes to

receive either cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen applied to each wart for 10

seconds every 2-3 weeks) for a maximum of 6 treatments or duct tape

occlusion (applied directly to the wart) for a maximum of 2 months.

Patients had their warts measured at baseline and with return visits.

Main Outcome Measure Complete resolution of the wart being studied.

Results Of the 51 patients completing the study, 26 (51%) were treated

with duct tape, and 25 (49%) were treated with cryotherapy. Twenty-two

patients (85%) in the duct tape arm vs 15 patients (60%) enrolled in the

cryotherapy arm had complete resolution of their warts (P = .05 by 2

analysis). The majority of warts that responded to either therapy did so

within the first month of treatment.

Conclusion Duct tape occlusion therapy was significantly more effective

than cryotherapy for treatment of the common wart.

From the Department of Pediatrics, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma,

Wash. Dr Focht is now with the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology

and Nutrition, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.

http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/156/10/971

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