Intralesional Interferon Alfa‐2b Versus Cryotherapy for Common Warts on the Hands and Feet: A Randomized, Open‐Label, Controlled Trial

TL;DR

A study compared interferon injections and cryotherapy for treating warts on hands and feet, finding interferon more effective with fewer side effects.

Contribution

This study provides new evidence that intralesional interferon alfa-2b is more effective than cryotherapy for treating common warts.

Findings

Interferon alfa-2b injections led to greater reductions in wart number, thickness, and diameter compared to cryotherapy.

Interferon treatment improved immune markers like CD4+ and IL-2 more significantly than cryotherapy.

Patients receiving interferon had better quality of life scores and lower recurrence rates.

Abstract

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of interferon injection therapy for common warts on the hands and feet and to analyze its associated adverse reactions.

A total of 326 patients with common warts located on the hands and feet who were treated at our hospital between January 2024 and February 2025 were enrolled. Using a block randomization method, the patients were divided into a control group (n = 163, treated with cryotherapy) and an observation group (n = 163, treated with intralesional interferon alfa‐2b injection). The two groups were compared in terms of clinical efficacy, number, thickness, and diameter of warts, immune function, quality of life, adverse reactions, and recurrence rates.

After treatment, the number, thickness, and diameter of warts decreased in both groups, with significantly greater reductions in the observation group. Post‐treatment levels of cluster of differentiation 3 positive (CD3+), cluster of differentiation 4 positive (CD4+), the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, interleukin‐2 (IL‐2), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), immunoglobulin E (IgE), and interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) increased, whereas cluster of differentiation 8 positive (CD8+) decreased in both groups. The observation group exhibited higher levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, IL‐2, IL‐6, IgE, and IFN‐γ, and lower CD8+ levels compared with the control group. Scores for all dimensions and total scores of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) decreased after treatment in both groups, with significantly lower scores in the observation group.

Interferon injection therapy demonstrates clinical efficacy in the treatment of common warts on the hands and feet.