Randomized Comparative Study Assessing the Efficacy of Intralesional Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine and Vitamin D3 in Treating Warts.

BACKGROUND

Warts are benign skin growths caused by variants of human papillomavirus that infect the superficial layers of the skin and penetrate epithelial cells, causing viral multiplication. Warts can be transmitted via skin-to-skin contact and cause significant discomfort and embarrassment. There are multiple treatment options for warts, including topical therapies, cryotherapy, laser vaporization, surgical excision, and oral agents (e.g., zinc, retinoid, levamisole). In recent years, immunotherapy with various antigens has successfully treated multiple lesions by combining a targeted approach with upregulation of the host's immune system. This study explores and compares the efficacy of two immunotherapy options to treat warts: vitamin D3 and the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

METHODOLOGY

A randomized prospective comparative study was conducted to determine the efficacy of intralesional vitamin D3 and MMR vaccine in patients suffering from warts. The study population was categorized into two groups. The patients were divided into two equal groups, Group A (MMR; n=90) and Group B (vitamin D3; n=90), using a computer-generated random number table after applying the allocation concealment method to segregate participants and then allocated into either group using the sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelope (SNOSE) technique. One group received intralesional vitamin D3, and the other received intralesional MMR vaccine. Researchers followed up with patients for three months after completion of their therapy to notice any relapse. The outcomes considered in our study were recovery (complete, partial, and no recovery) and side effects such as pain, burning sensation, and desquamation. The statistical analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22 (Released 2013; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States).

RESULTS

At the end of the study, out of 150 subjects who reached the end, complete clearance was seen in 42/70 (60%) patients in Group A compared to only 26/80 (32.5%) patients showing clearance in Group B after completing six sessions of therapy in either group. Applying the chi-square test, the p-value comes to be 0.001323, so the result is significant at p<0.05. Hence, the MMR vaccine is better than an intralesional injection of vitamin D3 in treating warts.

CONCLUSION

Intralesional MMR vaccine showed a better response than injection of vitamin D3 in treating warts as an immunotherapeutic agent.