A Double-Blind, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial of EMLA® Cream (Eutectic Lidocaine/Prilocaine Cream) for Analgesia Prior to Cryotherapy of Plantar Warts in Adults.
- Author:
Siew Hui LEE
1
;
Janthorn PAKDEETHAI
;
Matthias P H S TOH
;
Derrick C W AW
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Adult; Analgesia; Anesthetics, Local; therapeutic use; Cryotherapy; Double-Blind Method; Female; Foot Dermatoses; therapy; Humans; Lidocaine; therapeutic use; Male; Middle Aged; Ointments; Prilocaine; therapeutic use; Warts; therapy; Young Adult
- From:Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2014;43(10):511-514
- CountrySingapore
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
INTRODUCTIONCryotherapy with liquid nitrogen is an effective, safe and convenient form of treatment for plantar warts. EMLA® cream (eutectic mixture of lidocaine 2.5% and prilocaine 2.5%) is a topical local anaesthetic agent that has proven to be effective and well tolerated in the relief of pain associated with various minor interventions in numerous clinical settings.
MATERIALS AND METHODSIn a single-centre, double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled study, 64 subjects were randomised into 2 groups. The subjects had a thick layer of EMLA® cream or placebo cream applied to pared plantar wart(s) and onto the surrounding margin of 1 mm to 2 mm under occlusion for 60 minutes prior to receiving cryotherapy. The pain of cryotherapy was evaluated by the subjects using a self-administered Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) immediately after the cryotherapy.
RESULTSThere was no statistical difference between the mean VAS score for EMLA® cream (47.0 ± 21.4 mm) and placebo (48.9 ± 22.0 mm). Those with more than 1 wart had a significantly higher VAS score than those with only 1 wart (59.1 ± 21.8 vs. 44.3 ± 20.4, P <0.05) but this did not affect the therapeutic effect of EMLA® cream prior to cryotherapy.
CONCLUSIONWe conclude that the application of EMLA® cream prior to cryotherapy does not reduce the pain associated with cryotherapy.
