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

The objective of this prospective blinded study was to assess whether the HPV subtype was predictive of response to PDL. For that matter, 26 verrucae from 26 immunocompetent patients were biopsied prior to treatment by PDL. HPV coding sequences were isolated and genotyped using PCR analysis. Patients were treated by PDL (595  nm wavelength, 5 mm spot size, 1.5 ms pulse duration, 12 J/cm2 fluence) once a month for up to 6  months, and clinical response was assessed. Binary logistic regression analysis and linear logistic regression analysis were used in order to evaluate statistical significance. Different types of HPV were identified in 22 of 26 tissue samples. Response to treatment did not correlate with HPV type, age, or gender. As no association between HPV type and response to PDL therapy could be established, it is therefore equally effective for all HPV types and remains a favorable treatment option for all VV.
Source: Lasers in Medical Science - Category: Laser Surgery Source Type: research