Laser Versus Cryotherapy for the Treatment of Recalcitrant Warts

Laser Versus Cryotherapy for the Treatment of Recalcitrant Warts: a Randomised Controlled Trial

To evaluate whether laser was superior to cryotherapy for recalcitrant warts

Patients with recalcitrant warts were randomized equally to receive laser or cryotherapy every 3 to 4 weeks, for a maximum of 4 sessions.The primary outcomes were the cure rate at 16 weeks; secondary outcomes included time to clearance of warts, patient satisfaction with the treatment and treatment-related adverse effects.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with HPV2/27/57-induced recalcitrant warts, including periungualor mosaic warts, common or plantar warts with a duration of longer than 1 year, and common or plantar warts previously received no more than two sessions of cryotherapy
• Total number of warts is ≤10 .
• Aged 18 years or older.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients are currently participating in another trial for the treatment of cutaneous warts.
• Patients have taken immunosuppressant drugs (such as oral corticosteroids) during the past three months.
• Patients have impaired healing eg due to diabetes, vitamin A deficiency, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.
• Patients have autoimmune diseases (such as systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, scleroderma or other diseases).
• Patients are pregnant or ready for pregnancies or breast-feeding.
• Patients have cold intolerance (such as cold urticaria, cryoglobulinaemia, cold agglutinin syndrome or Raynaud's syndrome).
• Patients have local pain intolerance.
• Patients have local hypoesthesia.
• Patients are unable to tolerate laser or cryotherapy.