Camparison of efficacy of cryotherapy plus oral zinc sulphate versus cryotherapy alone in treatment of viral warts.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of combining oral zinc sulphate with cryotherapy versus cryotherapy alone in the treatment of cutaneous warts. Study Design: Randomized Controlled Trial. Setting: Department of Dermatology, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi. Period: October 2023 to June 2024. Methods: Patients aged 18–65 years with cutaneous warts and no prior treatments were included. Exclusions were patients with systemic illnesses or hypersensitivity. Group A received oral zinc sulphate (10 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks) combined with weekly cryotherapy, while Group B underwent cryotherapy alone. Efficacy was assessed after 12 weeks based on complete wart resolution. Chi-square tests compared efficacy, and descriptive statistics were used for demographic analysis. Results: Significantly higher efficacy (58.7%) was observed in Group A compared to Group B (36%; p = 0.004). Both groups were demographically similar with no statistical differences in age, gender, or disease duration. Conclusion: The combination of oral zinc sulphate with cryotherapy significantly improves treatment outcomes for cutaneous warts compared to cryotherapy alone, highlighting zinc's potential as an effective, accessible, and cost-efficient adjunct therapy. Further research is recommended to establish broader clinical guidelines.