title: A clinical trial of topically applied 3 percent vidarabine against recurrent herpes labialis.
abstract: Seventy-six participants were enrolled in a clinical trial to determine therapeutic effectiveness of 3 percent vidarabine applied topically to recurrent perioral herpetic lesions. Following a 6- to- 12-month natural history phase, a 12-month clinical trial was conducted. Seventy participants developed 463 lesions during 361 episodes. Three percent vidarabine in a water-miscible gel was applied six times daily for 7 days to each lesion in the experimental group. Identically packaged placebo was used by the control group. Group assignment was by computer-generated randomization. Lesion size was reduced when vidarabine, rather than placebo, was applied. The difference was statistically significant (Student's t test, P = 0.02). Vesiculation followed tingling more rapidly when vidarabine, rather than placebo, was applied prior to vesiculation (P = 0.05). No significant difference between the two groups was found in episode frequency or lesion duration. Adverse reactions to vidarabine were not experienced.
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D006560:Herpes Labialis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D010919:Placebos; D012008:Recurrence; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D014740:Vidarabine