The efficacy and safety of other cryotherapy compounds for the treatment of genital warts: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Cryotherapy using Wartner compound that contains a mixture of dimethyl ether (75%) and propane (25%) has been recently reported as an effective treatment for warts. The present study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Wartner in male patients with genital warts.

Methods: A Phase II parallel-randomized clinical trial was performed on 16 Iranian men affected by genital warts who were referred to a dermatology clinic at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Two genital warts of each patient were selected and randomly assigned to receive either Wartner (intervention) or liquid nitrogen (control).

Results: Two weeks after the treatment, the sizes of the lesions in control and intervention groups decreased by 17.87 ± 2.14 mm² and 15.81 ± 1.80 mm², respectively (p = .299). Fourteen days after a single session of treatment, 81% of lesions in the control group and 50% in the Wartner group were completely eradicated, however, the difference was not statistically significant (p = .063).

Conclusions: The Wartner compound is as effective as the conventional cryotherapy method for treating genital warts. It is particularly valuable when there are contraindications or no access to common treatment options.

Keywords:

• Genital warts
• cryotherapy
• dimethyl ether and propane (DMEP)
• liquid nitrogen
• clinical trial

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This trial was supported by a research grant received from Manousha pharmaceutical company.