Condyloma

Efficacy of Podofilox Solution in the Treatment of Condyloma One of the most common forms of ablative therapy for condyloma acuminatum is the use of podophyllin resin. Because of its potential toxicity, podophyllin resin must be applied by a physician. Long-term therapy is necessary, often for months or years. Kirby and associates evaluated the safety and efficacy of one of the active ingredients of podophyllin resin, podofilox, which can be self-administered.

Thirty-eight patients with active penile warts were randomly assigned to receive either a 0.5 percent solution of podofilox or placebo, twice daily for three days per week for a four-week period. During the treatment period, patients were seen weekly and examined for regression of warts and appearance of new warts. Adverse effects were also documented. All of the patients were evaluated in the sixth week of the study.

Compared with the control group, patients in the pdodfilox group had a dramatic reduction in the number of lesions and the area of involvement. After receiving podofilox for four weeks, the mean number of warts and the size of the area involved were only 15.9 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, of baseline values. In the control group, the mean number and area were 97.4 percent and 92.9 percent of baseline values. After an additional four weeks of open label treatment, the lesions completely disappeared in 53.3 percent of the patients in the treatment group. Adverse reactions were local and transient. Recurrences were common.

The study findings indicate that 0.5 percent podofilox solution is a clinically effective form of therapy for genital warts and is well tolerated in a patient-administered regimen. (American Journal of Medicine, May 1990, vol. 88, p. 465.)

COPYRIGHT 1990 American Academy of Family Physicians
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group