Duct tape occlusion therapy

Last updated

Duct tape occlusion therapy (DTOT) is a method of treating warts by covering them with duct tape for prolonged periods.

The manner in which duct tape appears to work is unclear. [1] The tape might create a macerating and keratolytic environment, stimulating an immune response. [1] The type of adhesive in the duct tape is likely to be important as leeching of the adhesive into the skin may be causing the immune system response. [2] Side effects can include skin irritation and peeling. [3]

There is mixed evidence that occlusive treatment with various types of duct tape is effective. [1] Clinical trials in 2012 concluded that no statistically significant difference between clear duct tape and placebo could be determined within the sample. [1] On health information websites, duct tape is referred to as a treatment with mixed evidence of efficacy, no good evidence or described as alternative medicine. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Despite the mixed evidence for efficacy, the simplicity of the method and its limited side-effects leads some researchers to be reluctant to dismiss it. [8]

Evidence

In 1978, Jerome Z Litt was the first to suggest that adhesive tape could be used to treat warts on the fingers. He claimed: "My method is safe, easy, simple, painless, inexpensive, and highly effective. It leaves no scarring or deformed nails. The mystery remains: How and why does this method work? I cannot offer any reasonable or logical explanation. It cannot be all 'hypnotic' or 'suggestive.' Could it be that the airtight occlusion and a chemical reaction set up by the adhesive in the tape might combine to release a chemical or 'toxin' causing the formation of antibodies? Whatever it may be, it works. I recommend that you try it." [9]

A 2002 study involved 51 individuals (aged 3–22) treated with either "standard duct tape" (not otherwise specified in the study) or cryotherapy. A piece of duct tape was cut as close to the size of the wart as possible, and applied to the area. The tape was left on for 6 days and replaced with new duct tape if it fell off. After 6 days, the tape was removed, the area soaked in water, and the wart debrided with an emery board or pumice stone. The tape was left off overnight and reapplied on the following morning. This process continued for up to 2 months or until the wart was resolved, whichever occurred first. Progress was monitored every 4 weeks. The researchers found the duct tape treatment significantly more effective than the cryotherapy (P=0.05) with 85% in the duct tape treatment group having a complete resolution of their wart, compared to 60% in the cryotherapy group. [10] The study was criticized due to lack of a placebo control group, [11] and because a number of outcome assessments were done by phone. [12] There was also no reported long term follow up to ensure no recurrence of the warts. [11] [10]

Two later studies failed to repeat the results of the 2002 study. [13] [14] One compared duct tape with moleskin, finding no statistically significant difference in results reported between the two groups. [14] Both studies used 3M clear duct tape, again concluding no statistically significant effect on wart resolution. [13] The statistical power of the latter trial has been questioned, [15] and it has been suggested that duct tape occlusion therapy only works with rubber-based adhesives, whereas these studies utilized acrylic-based adhesive. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antidepressant</span> Class of medication used to treat depression and other conditions

Antidepressants are a class of medications used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and addiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wart</span> Small, rough growth resembling a cauliflower or a solid blister

Warts are non-cancerous viral growths usually occurring on the hands and feet but which can also affect other locations, such as the genitals or face. One or many warts may appear. They are distinguished from cancerous tumors as they are caused by a viral infection, such as a human papillomavirus, rather than a cancer growth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duct tape</span> Type of adhesive tape

Duct tape is cloth- or scrim-backed pressure-sensitive tape, often coated with polyethylene. There are a variety of constructions using different backings and adhesives, and the term "duct tape" has been genericized to refer to different cloth tapes with differing purposes. A variation is heat-resistant foil tape useful for sealing heating and cooling ducts, produced because the adhesive on standard duct tape fails and the synthetic fabric reinforcement mesh deteriorates when used on heating ducts.

An antipyretic is a substance that reduces fever. Antipyretics cause the hypothalamus to override a prostaglandin-induced increase in temperature. The body then works to lower the temperature, which results in a reduction in fever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paroxetine</span> SSRI antidepressant medication

Paroxetine, sold under the brand name Paxil among others, is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. It is used to treat major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. It has also been used in the treatment of premature ejaculation and hot flashes due to menopause. It is taken orally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plantar wart</span> Medical condition

A plantar wart is a wart occurring on the bottom of the foot or toes. Its color is typically similar to that of the skin. Small black dots often occur on the surface. One or more may occur in an area. They may result in pain with pressure such that walking is difficult.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronchiolitis</span> Inflammation of the small airways in the lungs

Bronchiolitis is inflammation of the small airways in the lungs. Acute bronchiolitis is due to a viral infection usually affecting children younger than two years of age. Symptoms may include fever, cough, runny nose, wheezing, and breathing problems. More severe cases may be associated with nasal flaring, grunting, or the skin between the ribs pulling in with breathing. If the child has not been able to feed properly, signs of dehydration may be present.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reboxetine</span> NRI antidepressant drug

Reboxetine, sold under the brand name Edronax among others, is a drug of the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (NRI) class, marketed as an antidepressant by Pfizer for use in the treatment of major depression, although it has also been used off-label for panic disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is approved for use in many countries worldwide, but has not been approved for use in the United States. Although its effectiveness as an antidepressant has been challenged in multiple published reports, its popularity has continued to increase.

Vicks DayQuil is an over-the-counter combination medication product used for the temporary relief of common cold and flu symptoms. DayQuil is available in several formulations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adapalene</span> Third-generation topical retinoid

Adapalene is a third-generation topical retinoid primarily used in the treatment of mild-moderate acne, and is also used off-label to treat keratosis pilaris as well as other skin conditions. Studies have found adapalene is as effective as other retinoids, while causing less irritation. It also has several advantages over other retinoids. The adapalene molecule is more stable compared to tretinoin and tazarotene, which leads to less concern for photodegradation. It is also chemically more stable compared to the other two retinoids, allowing it to be used in combination with benzoyl peroxide. Due to its effects on keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation, adapalene is superior to tretinoin for the treatment of comedonal acne and is often used as a first-line agent. The Swiss company Galderma sells adapalene under the brand name Differin.

Idiopathic short stature (ISS) refers to extreme short stature that does not have a diagnostic explanation after an ordinary growth evaluation. The term has been in use since at least 1975 without a precise percentile or statistical definition of "extreme".

Selenium disulfide, also known as selenium sulfide, is a chemical compound and medication used to treat seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff, and pityriasis versicolor. It is applied to the affected area as a lotion or shampoo. Symptoms frequently return if treatment is stopped.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imiquimod</span> Chemical compound

Imiquimod, sold under the brand name Aldara among others, is a medication that acts as an immune response modifier that is used to treat genital warts, superficial basal cell carcinoma, and actinic keratosis.

Hypnodermatology is an informal label for the use of hypnosis in treating the skin conditions that fall between conventional medical dermatology and the mental health disciplines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vilazodone</span> Antidepressant medication

Vilazodone, sold under the brand name Viibryd among others, is a medication used to treat major depressive disorder. It is classified as a serotonin modulator and is taken by mouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elastic therapeutic tape</span> Pseudo-medicine product; elastic cotton strip with an acrylic adhesive

Elastic therapeutic tape, also called kinesiology tape or kinesiology therapeutic tape, Kinesio tape, k-tape, or KT is an elastic cotton strip with an acrylic adhesive that is purported to ease pain and disability from athletic injuries and a variety of other physical disorders. In individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain, research suggests that elastic taping may help relieve pain, but not more than other treatment approaches, and no evidence indicates that it can reduce disability in chronic pain cases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metadoxine</span> Medication used for alcohol intoxication

Metadoxine, also known as pyridoxine-pyrrolidone carboxylate, is a drug used to treat chronic and acute alcohol intoxication. Metadoxine accelerates alcohol clearance from the blood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Study 329</span> Scientific article

Study 329 was a clinical trial which was conducted in North America from 1994 to 1998 to study the efficacy of paroxetine, an SSRI anti-depressant, in treating 12- to 18-year-olds diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Led by Martin Keller, then professor of psychiatry at Brown University, and funded by the British pharmaceutical company SmithKline Beecham—known since 2000 as GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)—the study compared paroxetine with imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, and placebo. SmithKline Beecham had released paroxetine in 1991, marketing it as Paxil in North America and Seroxat in the UK. The drug attracted sales of $11.7 billion in the United States alone from 1997 to 2006, including $2.12 billion in 2002, the year before it lost its patent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clascoterone</span> Chemical compound

Clascoterone, sold under the brand name Winlevi, is an antiandrogen medication which is used topically in the treatment of acne. It is also under development in a higher concentration for the treatment of androgen-dependent scalp hair loss, under the brand name Breezula. The medication is used as a cream by application to the skin, for instance the face and scalp.

Daniel Cody Darrow was an American pediatrician and clinical biochemist whose research focused on fluid and electrolyte balance in the human body. He pioneered the routine use of intravenous potassium in patients after surgery, and in children with diarrhea.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Kwok, CS; Gibbs, S; Bennett, C; Holland, R; Abbott (2012). "Topical treatments for cutaneous warts". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 9 (9): CD001781. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001781.pub3. PMC   8101088 . PMID   22972052.
  2. 1 2 Samlaska, Curt (2012). "Response to 'Question 3 What is the efficacy of duct tape as a treatment for verruca vulgaris?'". Archives of Disease in Childhood. 96 (9): 897–899. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2011-300533. PMID   21836182. S2CID   206853952.
  3. 1 2 "Warts and verrucas - Treatment". nhs choices. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Warts and Verrucas". patient.info. www.patient.info. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  5. ↑ "How to get rid of warts". American Academy of Dertmatology. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Warts and Verrucas". Bupa. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  7. ↑ Mayo Clinic Staff. "Plantar Warts". The Mayo Clinic. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  8. ↑ Stubbings, Alison; Wacogne, Ian (2011-09-01). "Question 3 What is the efficacy of duct tape as a treatment for verruca vulgaris?". Archives of Disease in Childhood. 96 (9): 897–899. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2011-300533. ISSN   0003-9888. PMID   21836182. S2CID   206853952.
  9. ↑ Litt, J. Z (1978). "Don't excise--exorcise. Treatment for subungual and periungual warts". Cutis. 22 (6): 673–6. PMID   720133.
  10. 1 2 Focht DR, Spicer C, Fairchok MP (October 2002). "The efficacy of duct tape vs cryotherapy in the treatment of verruca vulgaris (the common wart)". Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 156 (10): 971–4. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.156.10.971 . PMID   12361440.
  11. 1 2 Williams, Hywel (2003). "Commentary on 'Duct tape occlusion treatment increased resolution in common paediatric warts'". Evidence Based Medicine. 8 (2): 58. doi: 10.1136/ebm.8.2.58 .
  12. ↑ Gibbs, S; Harvey, I; Sterling, JC; Stark, R (2003). Gibbs, Sam (ed.). "Local treatments for cutaneous warts". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (3): CD001781. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001781. PMID   12917913.
  13. 1 2 de Haen M, Spigt MG, van Uden CJ, van Neer P, Feron FJ, Knottnerus A (November 2006). "Efficacy of duct tape vs placebo in the treatment of verruca vulgaris (warts) in primary school children". Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 160 (11): 1121–5. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.160.11.1121 . PMID   17088514.
  14. 1 2 Wenner R, Askari SK, Cham PM, Kedrowski DA, Liu A, Warshaw EM (March 2007). "Duct tape for the treatment of common warts in adults: a double-blind randomized controlled trial". Archives of Dermatology. 143 (3): 309–13. doi:10.1001/archderm.143.3.309. PMID   17372095.
  15. ↑ Van Cleave J, Kemper AR, Davis MM (November 2006). "Interpreting negative results from an underpowered clinical trial: warts and all". Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 160 (11): 1126–9. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.160.11.1126 . PMID   17088515.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.