Evaluation of IL-12 serum level in patients with recalcitrant multiple common warts, treated by intralesional tuberculin antigen

• Published in: The Journal of dermatological treatment 2014-06, Vol.25 (3), p.264-267
• Main Authors: Abd- Elazeim, Fian M. A., Mohammed, Ghada F. A., Fathy, Amal, Mohamed, Roshdy W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Antiviral Agents - administration & dosage; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Dermatology; Female; Human bacterial diseases; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Injections, Intralesional; Interleukin-12 - blood; intralesional immunotherapy; Male; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; PPD antigen; recalcitrant multiple common warts; serum IL-12; Skin, nail, hair, dermoskeleton; Treatment Outcome; Tuberculin - administration & dosage; Tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infections; Vaccination; Viral diseases; Viral diseases with cutaneous or mucosal lesions and viral diseases of the eye; Warts - blood; Warts - immunology; Warts - therapy; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0954-6634; 1471-1753
• DOI: 10.3109/09546634.2013.768760

Background: No universal consensus about optimal modality for treating the recalcitrant multiple common warts (RMCW). Objective: To evaluate the immunological mechanisms and clinical therapeutic effect of using of intralesional purified protein derivative (PPD) in the treatment of RMCW. Methods: The study included 40 patients with RMCW. They were randomly assigned to 2 groups: first group (20 patients) received intralesional PPD antigen, and second group (20 patients) received intralesional saline as a control group. In both groups, injections were made into single lesions, or largest wart in case of multiple lesions, at weekly intervals, until complete clearance or for a maximum of six treatments. Blood serum was taken at pre-study and at week 6 to measure IL-12 level. Results: A significant difference was found between the therapeutic responses of RMCW to PPD antigen and saline control group (p < 0.001). In the PPD group, complete response was achieved in 75% after 5.8 ± 0.7 sessions' patients presenting with RMCW. There was a statistically significant increase in IL-12 of PPD group versus saline group. No recurrence was observed in the PPD group. Conclusion: Intralesional immunotherapy by PPD antigen is an effective and a safe treatment for RMCW in previously immunized patients.