Clinical Trial Evaluating Efficacy of Duct Tape for Treatment of Warts

ABSTRACT (233 word count)

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of duct tape occlusion therapy for the treatment of common warts.

Design: A double-blinded, controlled, clinical intervention trial. Setting: Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Participants: A total of 90 immunocompetent adult volunteers with at least one wart measuring between 2-15 mm were enrolled in this study between October 2004 and July 2005; 80 patients completed the study.

Intervention: Patients were randomized using a computer-generated code to receive either pads consisting of moleskin with transparent duct tape (active) or moleskin alone (control). Patients were instructed to wear the pads for 7 consecutive days and leave the pad off on the 7th evening. This process was repeated for 2 months or until the wart resolved, whichever occurred first. Follow-up visits occurred at 1 and 2 months.

Main Outcome Measure: 100% resolution of the wart. Secondary outcomes included change in size of the target wart and recurrence rates at 6 months for warts with complete resolution.

Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the proportions of patients with resolution of the target wart (duct tape=8/39, 21% vs. control=9/41, 22%). Of patients with complete resolution, 75% (6/8) in the duct tape group and 33% (3/9) of those in the control group had recurrence of the target wart by the sixth month.

Conclusions: Occlusive therapy with transparent duct tape is not significantly better than moleskin alone for treatment of common warts in adults.

Inclusion criteria

1) ability to comprehend and provide informed consent; 2) age greater than 18 years old; and 3) at least one common wart, measuring 2-15 millimeters in diameter.

Exclusion criteria

1) pregnant or lactating females; 2) treatment of the target wart within the past four weeks by any modality; 3) immunodeficiency state (cancer chemotherapy, systemic steroids, genetic immunodeficiency, transplant status, etc.); 4) genital wart only; 5) a history of hypersensitivity or allergy to adhesive tape; 6) documented allergy to latex; and/or 7) participation in another interventional study or use of any investigational drug within 30 days prior to enrollment.

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