Research Reports |
YT Soroko, MS, PT, ATC, is Physical Therapist, Marshfield Clinic-Wausau Center, 2727 Plaza Dr, Wausau, WI 544014192 (USA) (soroko.yolanta{at}marshfieldclinic.org). Address all correspondence to Ms Soroko
MC Repking, PT, CSCS, is Physical Therapist, Marshfield Clinic-Wausau Center
JA Clemment, PT, is Physical Therapist, Marshfield Clinic-Wausau Center
PL Mitchell, PT, is an independent practitioner of physical therapy, Knoxville, Tenn
RL Berg, MS, is Biostatistician, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core, Marshfield Medical Research and Education Foundation, a Division of Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, Wis
Submitted October 1, 2001;
Accepted May 31, 2002
Key Words: Iontophoresis Plantar verrucae Sodium salicylate Warts
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Children and young adults, especially young athletes, are particularly prone to plantar warts, but elderly people without diabetes are rarely afflicted with them.1,5,6 Although no data exist on the infection rate of plantar warts,7 it is estimated that 7% to 10% of children and young adults may be affected.1,4,8 Plantar warts appear to be more common in women than in men.
The lesions are flesh-colored growths characterized by circumscribed hypertrophy of the papillae of the skin with thickening of the granular and keratin layers of the epidermis.9 Unlike warts elsewhere on the body, plantar verrucae are flattened by pressure, are surrounded by a smooth collar of thickened horn or cornified epithelium, and are extended deep into the epidermis (rete pegs). This type of wart generally forms beneath pressure points of the metatarsal heads or heel. The warts, however, may occur anywhere on the sole.10
Plantar warts may be difficult to diagnose. They can be very painful, and they must be differentiated from calluses, keratomas, lichen planus, and foreign bodies.6,11 Plantar verrucae can be distinguished from corns or calluses because verrucae are tender to touch or pinching, there are no continuous skin lines of affected tissue, there is a sharply defined rounded lesion with a rough keratotic surface surrounded by a smooth collar of thickened horn, and there are multiple small black points (dilated capillary loops) with a tendency for pinpoint bleeding once the horn layer is pared away (Fig. 1).7,10 The size and number of the plantar warts can vary. Often they are found in clusters called "mosaic warts." By contrast, debridement of a corn reveals a single "eye" (called a "hen's eye").1
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Figure 1. Typical appearance of plantar verrucae.
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Numerous strategies have been used by dermatologists and primary care physicians to treat plantar warts. Treatments can be categorized as either "destructive" or "immunologic."1 Destructive therapies include cryotherapy (eg, liquid nitrogen, spray guns), surgery (eg, electrocautery, laser ablation, excision), and chemotherapy via liquids and patches (eg, salicylic acid patch, lactic acid, trichloroacetic acid, cantharidin, podophyllin, formalin, fluorouracil). Immunotherapies include treatment with dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB, an immunologic sensitizer), interferon, poison ivy extract, and so on.13 The most common office treatments include freezing with liquid nitrogen and electrocautery. Although the application of liquid nitrogen via cryoguns has recently been reported to result in a 92.5% healing rate after 3 treatments,14 cryosurgery can be painful. Electrocautery may leave an atrophic scar.
Acid formulations come in both liquid and transdermal variations. The transdermal delivery system may be preferred by patients because of the simplicity of replacing the patch every 48 hours, whereas the drops must be applied every night. The acid penetrates to a depth of 3 to 4 mm in passive patch applications.15 We believe the biggest disadvantage of both liquid and patch applications is the treatment time and the requirement for stringent patient adherence. In addition, in our experience, patches can slip if placed on weight-bearing surfaces.
In 1969, Gordon and Weinstein16 described a treatment in which plantar warts were treated with a 2% sodium salicylic solution delivered by iontophoresis. Their treatment was based on the use of direct current (DC) pushing the negatively charged salicylate ions into the tissue. They studied 5 patients using a current intensity of 1 mA for 10 minutes 1 time per week until the warts disappeared. In all 5 patients, the warts disappeared within 2 to 3 treatments, but this was a descriptive study without controls.
We contend that there are several benefits of iontophoresis treatment versus other traditional treatments for plantar verrucae. Treatment appears to be less painful with iontophoresis. A low-grade DC current is applied with the patient experiencing a mild prickly sensation that is felt only during the treatment time. In contrast, liquid nitrogen usually produces a painful burning sensation during the treatment and lasting up to 72 hours posttreatment.1 In our experience, patients are able to place full weight on their foot posttreatment, which often is not the case with other treatments of plantar verrucae. Iontophoresis leaves no scars on the treated tissue, and the treatment is less labor intensive and fewer treatments are required than with other treatment strategies.
Based on an article by Gordon and Weinstein,16 we have been using 2% sodium salicylic iontophoresis treatment of plantar verrucae since the 1970s. We viewed this treatment as an effective alternative to other treatments of plantar verrucae. However, there have been no follow-up studies examining the efficacy of 2% sodium salicylate iontophoresis treatment of plantar verrucae. The purpose of this descriptive study is to report the use of 2% sodium salicylate iontophoresis treatment of plantar verrucae on 20 consecutive referrals to the physical therapy clinic. We, however, like Gordon and Weinstein, did not conduct a clinical trial with random assignment to group and a control.
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Table 1. Initial Characteristics of the Participants
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Treatment Protocol
The patients were placed on a plinth in a semi-reclined position with the lower leg exposed. The location and size (diameter in millimeters) of the plantar verrucae were recorded and photographed. The patients were asked to rate their load-bearing pain as a result of their plantar verrucae using a 0 to 10 ascending visual analog scale (0=no pain, 10=excruciating pain). Each verruca was cleaned with alcohol, and the wart horn was pared with a scalpel to decrease the skin impedance. Deeply fissured tissue was filled with petroleum jelly to impede the flow of current while leaving the intact skin surrounding the wart jelly-free to allow for salicylic acid penetration.
A 7.62- x 15.24-cm (3- x 6-in) dispersive pad was wetted with tap water and secured on the mid-belly of the ipsilateral gastrocnemius muscle using elastic straps. The active electrode was created by dampening two 12-ply 5.08- x 5.08-cm (2- x 2-in) gauze pads with a 2% sodium salicylate solution. The gauze pads were then folded twice to create a 2.54- x 2.54-cm (1- x 1-in), 8-layer electrode. The folded electrode was saturated with the 2% sodium salicylate solution and wiped over the verruca(e) to ensure wetness and to decrease impedance. The electrode was then placed over the surface of the wart or cluster of warts. The metal lead and gauze pad were affixed with tape (Fig. 2). The patients were informed that they might feel an itchy or prickly sensation during the treatment under the active or dispersive electrode. Any burning sensation indicated potential for skin burning secondary to the DC effects, and the current was decreased.
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Figure 2. Setup of iontophoresis treatment using Mettler electrical stimulation machine in direct current mode.
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Figure 3. Sample calculations.
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Treatments were repeated once per week for a total of 3 sessions, with 6 to 9 days between treatment sessions. After the final session, no other treatment was allowed for a 3-month period. The 3-month period was chosen because epidermal turnover time in normal skin is 52 to 75 days.7 The patient was informed that the verrucae may turn black or dark brown within the 3 months following treatment as a result of verruca necrosis. Fourteen to 26 weeks (
=16.7, SD=2.8, median=15.7) after the initial visit, the patient was rechecked for wart status. The treated wart area was photographed, and the wart size was measured if a wart was still present. Patients were again asked to rate their load-bearing pain on a 0 to 10 ascending scale.
Data Analysis
Data analysis consisted of descriptive summaries of verrucae dimensions and examination findings. Changes over time were assessed in terms of the numbers and total area of verrucae and were tested for statistical significance using the Wilcoxon signed rank test on paired differences (P=.05).
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=26.5, SD=35.5, median=12) (Tab. 1).
The mean total area of verrucae before treatment was 95.1 mm2 (range=14256 mm2) (Tab. 2). During the follow-up assessment, only one subject demonstrated 100% reduction (from 75 to 0.00 mm2). Three subjects exhibited large reductions: 99.9% (from 150.45 to 0.79 mm2), 97.7% (from 69.41 to 1.57 mm2), and 89.2% (from 43.24 to 4.67 mm2). Twelve other subjects also experienced measurable reductions in verrucae area (Fig. 4). One patient who initially had one wart exhibited no change. Two patients' verrucae increased in size (Fig. 5). Only 1 of 19 patients had no warts following treatment, but 15 of 19 patients (78.9%) exhibited reductions in verrucae area. The median change in area as a percentage of the initial measurement per patient was a decrease of 30% (
=27.4%, SD=72.8%, range = 100% to +228%). There were decreases over time in both the number of verrucae and the area of the warts. There were no adverse events associated with the treatment.
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Table 2. Numbers and Size of Verrucae (Sample Size=19)
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Figure 4. Verrucae demonstration of reduction in size and appearance with iontophoresis treatment: (A) before treatment, (B) after treatment and 3-month waiting period.
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Figure 5. Total verrucae area, by patient, at the initial and follow-up assessments. Each filled circle () shows one patient's initial area and is connected to an open circle ( ) showing the area at follow-up for the same patient.
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One 4-year-old patient who had 3 plantar verrucae (Fig. 6A) had notable reduction in verruca area with one wart abolished (Fig. 6B) at the time of follow-up (initial mean area=23.14 mm2, minimum=14.54, maximum=35.26; follow-up mean area=0.52 mm2, minimum=0.00, maximum=0.79). Due to this patient's improvement, an additional follow-up was conducted 1 month following what would have been the final assessment. The patient when seen 5 weeks later had complete abolishment of all verrucae.
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Figure 6. Plantar verrucae of 4-year-old patient (A) at the time of initial evaluation and (B) after treatment and 3-month waiting period.
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We believe the use of salicylic acid remains one of the safest wart treatments. It promotes keratolysis of virally infected tissue.13 Often used in combination with other acids, such as lactic acid, salicylic acid has recently been shown to most likely be the active ingredient. Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy has been used to show that salicylic acid (and not lactic acid or flexible collodion) bonds with HPV-containing verruca tissue.18
Because plantar warts are usually located on weight-bearing surfaces of the feet, treatment choices become limited. We argue that iontophoresis has the advantage of being painless, and most patients are able to bear weight on the area with no pain immediately following treatment. In addition, the treatment leaves no scars. In one of our patients, a 4-year-old, the verrucae were located on the heel, causing the patient to toe walk. After the third session, this patient had a completely normal gait. This contrasts dramatically with the pain that can follow the use of liquid nitrogen treatment.
Aggressive destructive treatment modalities (eg, cryosurgery, electrocautery), in our view, are undesirable due to resultant discomfort and interference with the patient's routine activities. Less aggressive chemical treatments, we believe, often do not yield desired results due to lack of patient adherence or ability to maintain contact of treatment agent with the wart.
Iontophoresis can be used to deliver the acid into the tissue in 20- to 30-minute sessions over only a few treatments. The acid is believed to penetrate to a depth of 10 mm when applied iontophoretically.19 Thus, favorable effects on deeply concentrated verrucae may occur. In addition, no patient adherence, other than appearing for the scheduled appointments, is needed. Iontophoresis as a clinical option has been used by physical therapists and dermatologists for over 50 years without documented severe adverse reactions.1922 Our research demonstrates that iontophoretic application of salicylic acid to plantar warts represents a viable option for treatment.
Limitations
We did not include a control group or a comparison group, so the response to treatment can only be assessed indirectly and may be influenced by confounding factors. A randomized controlled clinical trial is needed. It is often difficult to differentiate between a healed wart scar and a recurrent wart.1 Furthermore, warts that do not resolve frequently proliferate.1 Both of these phenomena would skew the results toward a lower frequency of healing than would be the case for responsive lesions only.
Suggestions for Further Research
The number of treatment sessions and the frequency of treatment we used were based on the article by Gordon and Weinstein,16 not on the half-life of the medication or the physiological response to DC. Manipulation of both the number and frequency of treatments may lead to better clinical outcomes. Because HPV can exist in a subclinical state, we suggest that the size of the active electrode should be increased to more thoroughly cover and treat the field of viral particles around each lesion. Comparison of DC with non-DC delivery of salicylic acid seems warranted. Recent literature on iontophoresis suggests that application of continuous DC may be limiting. Using reversed or pulsed DC has been reported to decrease skin irritation and thus allow higher medication dosages.23
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The Institutional Review Board of Marshfield Clinic approved this study.
* Mettler Electronics Corp, 1333 S Claudina St, Anaheim, CA 92805. ![]()
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This article has been cited by other articles:
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M. M. Lipke An Armamentarium of Wart Treatments Clin. Med. Res., December 1, 2006; 4(4): 273 - 293. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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