[Treatment of therapy refractory verrucae vulgares with a ciclopirox-containing lacquer].

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

Anti-inflammatory actions of ciclopirox, an antifungal agent, have been described previously. We assessed the effectiveness of ciclopirox in the treatment of viral warts.

PATIENTS/

METHODS

Twenty-three immunocompetent patients (age 9-61 years) with common warts at the hands, feet and in the face resistant to conventional therapy were treated. Following keratolysis with a salicylic acid-containing patch, an 8% ciclopirox lacquer was applied 1-2 times daily. At the beginning and the end of the treatment lesions were photographed and the time span (minimum 4 weeks) until complete resolution was documented.

RESULTS

In 7 patients complete remission, and in 12 patients partial remission was achieved. Only 4 patients did not show any effect under topical ciclopirox treatment (mean duration of therapy 3.2 +/- 2.1 months). The overall response rate was 82.6%. Local side effects like erythema or pruritus were not reported.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that a ciclopirox lacquer may be helpful in the treatment of common warts. However, the data have to be confirmed in a randomized controlled trial in the future.