Local Recombinant Human Interferon Alpha 1b, Acupuncture Treats Verruca Vulgaris

A combined intervention of local recombinant human interferon alpha 1b (rhIFNα1b) treatment plus acupuncture is beneficial for patients with verruca vulgaris, according to study findings published in Archives of Dermatology Research.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study that evaluated patients (N=2415) with verruca vulgaris who received treatment at the First Hospital of China Medical University between 2018 and 2020. Outcomes were compared between participants who received local intralesional rhIFNα1b plus intralesional acupuncture (n=1135), intralesional rhIFNα1b monotherapy (n=540), or CO₂ laser (n=740). Treatments were repeated after a 7- to 10-day interval until lesion cure. Participants were allowed to take oral immune modulators or use topical imiquimod cream. The primary outcome was lesion cure, defined as disappearance of the lesion.

The participants were a mean age of 30.62 (SD, 14.34) years, of whom 1109 had feet lesions, 781 had hand lesions, and 243 had lesions in other locations.

The cure rates were 81.85% for among those in the combined intervention, 85.93% for rhIFNα1b monotherapy, and 100% for the laser treatment. Notably, all lesions cured by the combined intervention were located on hands or feet whereas the cured lesions in the 2 monotherapy groups were primarily located on arms and legs (P <.05).

In the dual therapy, rhIFNα1b monotherapy, and laser groups, 929, 464, and 740 participants had a single lesion, respectively. For single lesions less than 5 mm in size, more dual therapy treatment sessions were needed for cure compared with the laser treatment (mean, 4.40 vs 1 sessions; P <.0001), respectively. For both medium lesions between 6 mm and 10 mm and big lesions over 11 mm, fewer dual therapy treatment sessions were needed for cure compared with rhIFNα1b monotherapy (mean, medium: 5.94 vs 9.90 sessions; big: 8.94 vs 12.33 sessions; both P <.0001), but more sessions were needed than the laser therapy (mean, medium: 5.94 vs 1.10 sessions; big: 8.94 vs 1.23 sessions; both P <.0001), respectively.

In the dual therapy, rhIFNα1b monotherapy, and laser groups, 468, 268, and 161 patients had pleural lesions, respectively. The only group differences for pleural lesions were that more dual therapy sessions were needed to cure small sessions 2mm to 5 mm in size compared with laser treatment (mean, 6.25 vs 1.08 sessions; P <.0001) and fewer dual therapy sessions were needed to cure medium lesions than rhIFNα1b monotherapy (mean, 6.73 vs 9.44; P <.0001), respectively.

At 3 months, the recurrence rates were 14.17% for combined therapy, 17.01% for rhIFNα1b monotherapy, and 25.89% for laser therapy.

Limitations of this study included the retrospective, nonrandomized study design and the short follow-up period.

The study authors concluded, “The combined therapy of local applied rhIFNα1b and acupuncture was beneficial for verruca vulgaris.”

This article originally appeared on Dermatology Advisor