Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2020 Apr 29

DOI: 10.23736/S0392-0488.20.06518-9

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Comparison of efficacy & safety of 30% hydrogen peroxide with 50% trichloroacetic acid in eborrheic keratosis: a randomized controlled study

Divya AGRAWAL, Mohammad ADIL ✉, Syed S. AMIN, Mohd MOHTASHIM, Roopal BANSAL, Hera TABASSUM

Department of Dermatology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India

BACKGROUND: Seborrheic keratosis is a benign skin tumour. None of the common therapies is satisfactory. This study compared the efficacy of 30% hydrogen peroxide versus 50% trichloroacetic acid in treatment of seborrheic keratoses.
METHODS: This unblinded, comparative interventional study was conducted on 85 patients of seborrheic keratosis. Lesions were graded using physician’s lesion assessment (PLA) scale (0, clear; 1, nearly clear; 2 ≤1mm thick; 3 ≥1mm thick). Patients were randomly assigned into two groups: A and B. Five target seborrheic keratosis lesions with PLA score of three were selected in each patient. Group A was treated with 30% hydrogen peroxide and group B with 50% trichloroacetic acid. Both groups received treatment every week up to 5 weeks or till complete resolution of lesions. Clinical photographs of all patients were taken every 2 weeks.
RESULTS: Both the groups were comparable in terms of age and sex. At the end of 6 weeks, lesions were cleared completely in 41.8% of patients in group A and in 23.8% in group B. Mean PLA score decreased significantly in group A from 3 to 1.79 (40.3%) at 2 weeks and to 0.63 (79%) at 6 weeks (p <0.001). The decrease in PLA score in group B was 2.41 (19.7%) and 1.13 (62.3%) at 2, and 6 weeks respectively (p<0.001). Hydrogen peroxide produced greater clearance of seborrheic keratosis (p=0.017) than trichloroacetic acid. Also, no major adverse effects were observed in the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS: Application of 30% hydrogen peroxide appears to be more efficacious as compared to trichloroacetic acid (50%) for treatment of seborrheic keratosis.

KEY WORDS: Seborrheic keratosis; Hydrogen peroxide; Trichloroacetic acid