An open, comparative study of 10% potassium hydroxide solution versus salicylic and lactic acid combination in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum in children.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate and compare the safety and efficacy of 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution and salicylic and lactic acid (SAL + LAC) combination in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum (MC).


METHODS
26 patients with MC randomized into two treatment groups. 12 patients treated with 10% KOH solution and 14 patients treated with SAL + LAC combination for 6 weeks. Parents of patients were instructed to apply medication once daily only to lesions at study onset. Assessment of response of the treated lesions and side effects was performed at 2, 4 and 6 weeks of the treatment. Newly acquired lesions were not included in the study.


RESULTS
At the end of therapy, 83.3% (n = 10) of KOH group demonstrated complete remission and 16.7% (n = 2) of them showed partial remission; four patients (33%) developed new lesions during the study. All the patients in the SAL + LAC combination group (100%) demonstrated complete remission of study entry lesions at the end of 6 weeks with five patients (35%) acquiring new lesions during the study. Minor side effects were observed in two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
10% KOH solution and SAL + LAC combination were found to be equally effective in the treatment of MC in children.
Department of Dermatology, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. okose@gata.edu.tr
Osman
O
Köse
İbrahim
İ
Özmen
Ercan
E
Arca
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006878:Hydroxides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008976:Molluscum Contagiosum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D019999:Pharmaceutical Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006878:Hydroxides; D019999:Pharmaceutical Solutions; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D019344:Lactic Acid; D020156:Salicylic Acid; C029943:potassium hydroxide