title: Topical cidofovir for refractory verrucae in children.
abstract: Warts are common and are a challenge to treat in some children, especially immunocompromised children and those who fail or cannot tolerate salicylic acid preparations and cryotherapy. Cidofovir, a nucleotide analogue with antiviral activity, has demonstrated promising results when compounded into a topical form to treat refractory warts. We present a retrospective institutional review of 12 children with refractory verrucae treated with 1% to 3% topical cidofovir compounded in an unscented moisturizing cream, applied every other day to daily. In our institutional series, only three patients (25%) demonstrated complete clearance of their verrucae. An additional four patients (33%) demonstrated partial clearance. Our experience using topical cidofovir has been less successful than previous institutional reviews, possibly because we used a lower concentration and less-frequent dosing. More studies are needed to better characterize the efficacy, safety, and dosing of topical cidofovir for the treatment of refractory warts.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bayliss
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Berk
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000077404:Cidofovir; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003596:Cytosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014860:Warts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D063065:Organophosphonates; D003596:Cytosine; D000077404:Cidofovir