Abstract
This study was performed to investigate the clinical efficacy of intralesional recombinant interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the treatments of warts, using a placebo comparison. Warts of each groups were injected with INF-γ containing 5×106 IU/ml (high dose), 1×106 IU/ml (low dose), or distilled water for injection as placebo, respectively, twice weekly for three weeks. The final therapeutic efficacy was determined on the fourth week after the beginning of therapy.
Among the 74 patients with periungual warts, plantar warts, or warts of other sites, complete clearing of the treated warts at week four occurred in 56% of the 36 patients receiving the high dose IFN-γ compared to 30% of the 53 receiving the low dose IFN-γ and 17% of the 36 receiving the placebo. Marked improvement showing 75% or greater regression of wart lesions was noted as 89% of patients receiving the high dose INE compared with 55% receiving the low dose IFN and 50% receiving the placebo. The group of patients with warts of other sites showed the best response.
The group receiving the high dose IFN experienced some adverse effects more frequently or more severely than the group receiving low dose IFN. However, the effects were relatively tolerable to the patients. Therefore, intralesional injection of the high dose IFN-γ may be more useful in treating warts than a low dose IFN-γ.