title: Efficacy of Intralesional Bleomycin in Palmo-plantar and Periungual Warts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intralesional bleomycin gained increasing popularity in the recent past for treatment of warts particularly in palmo-plantar and periungual regions as other modalities are not very effective. Hence we evaluated the role of intralesional bleomycin in periungual and palmo-plantar warts to know its efficacy in Indian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a placebo-controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients of multiple palmo-plantar and periungual warts were included in this study and categorized in groups A and B of 25 each. Alternate patients were included in groups A and B and treated respectively with intralesional bleomycin (1 mg/mL solution) and normal saline as placebo, fortnightly for maximum up to two injections. Patients were followed up weekly for 1 month, fortnightly up to 12 weeks, and then quarterly for 1 year. If warts persisted after 12 weeks of starting treatment, it was considered a failure. Statistical analysis was done by the chi-square test using M-stat software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group A and B patients were having 85 warts and 72 warts, respectively. The cure rate in group A and B patients was 96.47% (82/85 warts) and 11.11% (8/72 warts), respectively, after one or two injections within 12 weeks. The difference in the cure rate between two groups was statistically highly significant (<0.0001). In group A patients, a haemorrhagic eschar was formed which gradually healed in 8-12 weeks without atrophy or pigmentation; this phenomenon was not seen in group B. Only moderate pain was observed by most of the patients during injection in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intralesional injection of bleomycin is highly effective, safe, and non-toxic in periungual and palmo-plantar warts.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, SP Medical College, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Prasoon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soni
authors.forename: Kanika
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khandelwal
authors.forename: Naushin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aara
authors.forename: Bhikam C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Ghiya
authors.forename: Rajesh D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Ram A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bumb