Efficacy of pulsed dye laser treatment for common warts is not influenced by the causative HPV type: a prospective study

Energy-Based Devices for the Treatment of Cutaneous Verrucae: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Warts are one of the most common benign neoplasms caused by human papillomavirus infection and often pose a therapeutic challenge.

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the current evidence on the safety and efficacy of laser and energy-based devices for the treatment of cutaneous verrucae.

METHODS

A comprehensive systematic review of the literature on laser and energy-based devices for the treatment of cutaneous verrucae was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 904 unique studies were identified, of which 109 were included in this review. The most commonly used lasers as a single treatment modality for verrucae included the long-pulsed Nd:Yag (n = 20) and pulsed dye (n = 18) lasers. Other modalities included the CO2 ablative laser (n = 10), photodynamic therapy (n = 11), local hyperthermia (n = 11), microwave therapy (n = 2), and nanopulse stimulation (n = 1). Other studies combined energy-based modalities with additional treatments, such as retinoids, imiquimod, and intralesional bleomycin. Overall, such devices were generally well-tolerated, with only a mild side effect profile.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the use of laser and energy-based devices is a safe and well-tolerated option for cutaneous verrucae that is relatively less invasive than surgical interventions. Future studies using more consistent outcome assessment tools will be valuable to help clinicians develop device-specific protocols and treatment regimens to ensure replicable and effective outcomes.

Laser therapy in cutaneous and genital warts: A review article

Traditional treatment modalities for wart require long-term treatment course and usually have high recurrence rates and unwanted side effects. In this review article, we evaluated different types of laser therapy in the treatment of warts. Published articles since 2000 up to July 2020 about laser therapy in genital and non-genital warts were searched and assessed. Fifty articles were selected for the final review, including 22 pulsed dye laser (PDL), 10 neodymium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd: YAG), 3 erbium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er: YAG), 14 carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) laser and one systematic review. Complete response rates were different in terms of laser type used (0%-100%, 9.1%-100%, 83.3%-100%, and 59.15%-100% for PDL, Nd: YAG, Er: YAG, and CO₂ laser, respectively). There was no significant difference between conventional treatment modalities and laser therapy regarding efficacy and recurrence rate. Combination of lasers with keratolytic agents, immunomodulators and photodynamic therapy can be helpful especially in immunosuppressed patients, refractory, and recurrent lesions. PDL has the lowest occurrence of adverse effects relative to other types of lasers.

Topical and systemic retinoids for the treatment of cutaneous viral warts: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Cutaneous viral warts (CVW), caused by human papillomavirus, often have a self-limited course. However, some patients experience a recalcitrant disease despite treatment. Retinoids are considered the mainstay of therapy in many dermatologic diseases. Data on their use for viral warts are limited. To systematically review the published evidence on the efficacy and safety of retinoids for the treatment of CVW. A systematic review and meta-analysis of topical or systemic retinoid treatment for CVW was performed in accordance with the PRISMA statement. The primary outcome was clinical response; secondary outcomes were recurrence rate and adverse events. Fourteen publications including 399 patients treated exclusively with retinoids (65% topical, 35% systemic) were evaluated. The complete response rate was 64% (95% CI, 46-78%; I² =80%) for topical treatment and 61% (95% CI, 44-76%; I² =69%) for systemic treatment. The most common side effects were irritant contact dermatitis and cheilitis, respectively. Relapse rates were 6% and 17%, respectively. The reviewed studies were considerably heterogenous and most lacked a control group. Both topical and systemic retinoids are effective and safe as monotherapy for CVW. Further studies are required to determine their exact role in this setting.