A study on the efficacy of intralesional bleomycin for the treatment of periungual and palmoplantar warts

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Amongst the different modalities for the treatment of warts, not a single modality is fully effective. While treating warts, the possibility of spontaneous regression must also be kept in mind. The aim of treating warts is to induce long term immunity without recurrences. To study the efficacy and safety of intralesional bleomycin for the treatment of twenty patients with periungual and palmoplantar warts.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> We conducted a prospective study of twenty patients of resistant periungual and palmoplantar warts between the age group of 15-50 years. Three injections of bleomycin were given at an interval of 2 weeks for a maximum of 3 injections (or less if the resolution occurred earlier).<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> After three sessions, complete clearance of palmoplantar warts was 71.42% and that of periungual warts was 90.90%. lesions were seen in 82% patients and incomplete resolution was seen in 15% patients. Bleomycin has antibacterial, antiviral and cytotoxic activity. Commonest side effect after bleomycin injection was pain seen in 40% (8) patients followed by pigmentary change and Raynauds phenomenon seen in 5% (1) patient each.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Bleomycin is an effective and promising treatment of recalcitrant warts especially in palmoplantar and periungual.</p><p class="abstract"> </p>

Abnormal Biochemical and Cellular Parameters in the Blood of Patients with Raynauds Phenomenon

Finger blood flow is decreased in Raynauds Phenomenon (RP). This may be due not only to vasospasm, but also to blood abnormalities. 40 patients with Raynauds Disease (RD), 28 with suspected RP (SS) and 42 with secondary Raynauds syndrome (RS) were enrolled and compared to 50 controls. Results from base-line samples show that those with RP have abnormal haemostasis and rheology whereas those with mild Raynauds, RD do not. Blood sampled after cold challenge in 15 RS patients and 15 controls show that both groups exhibit platelet activation after emersion. The degree of activation however was much more marked in the RS patients. We have shown that abnormalities of haemostasis and rheology are found in patients likely to have endothelial damage (RS). These changes are probably a consequence rather than a cause of the disease. After cold challenge the results become more abnormal and correlate with severity of disease.