Topical Adapalene in the Treatment of Plantar Warts; Randomized Comparative Open Trial in Comparison with Cryo-Therapy

BACKGROUND: Various therapeutic modalities, which are available for treating plantar wart, have not been successful every time. AIMS: To evaluate topical adapalene under occlusion in the treatment of plantar warts and compare it with cryo-therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 patients with 424 plantar warts were included in this single center, two arm, prospective, randomized, control, open study. Patients were allocated randomly into two groups consisting of 25 patients each. Group A patients having 299 plantar warts were treated using adapalene gel 0.1% under occlusion while Group B patients having 125 warts were treated using cryo-therapy. All the patients were evaluated weekly till the clearance of all the warts and the results compared. RESULT: All the warts of 25 patients of Group A that were treated using adapalene gel 0.1% cleared in 36.71 ± 19.24 (55.95-17.47) days except those in one patient. In Group B, warts in all except one treated by cryo-therapy cleared in 52.17 ± 30.06 (82.23-22.11) days. There were no side effects like scar formation, irritation, erythema, or infections with adapalene group while in the cryo group scar was seen in 2 patients, pain in 24, erythema in 10, and infection in 3 patients. CONCLUSION: Adapalene gel 0.1% under occlusion is an effective, safe and easy to use treatment for plantar warts and may help clear lesions faster than cryo-therapy.