Analysis of the Relationship Between Clinical Features, Treatment Options and Recurrence of Patients Diagnosed With Anogenital Warts

Abstract

Aims: Our study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with anogenital warts and to investigate the relationship between treatment options and recurrence. Methods: The data of patients who were admitted to the dermatology, urology, and gynecology outpatient clinics between 2010 and 2021, and diagnosed with anogenital warts were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic characteristics of the patients, presence of other sexually transmitted diseases, anatomical distribution of warts, number of anatomical regions and warts, frequency of recurrence, type of treatment before the first recurrence, and follow-up periods were documented. Statistical analysis was performed and the results were evaluated at a 95% confidence interval and p<0.05. Results: A total of 201 patients, 181 (90%) male and 20 (10%) female, who met the study criteria, were included in the study. The ages of the patients vary between 20-67 years; the median was 31 years. The rate of the number of warts of 10 or more in patients with recurrence was found to be statistically significantly higher than in cases without recurrence (p=0.013). The recurrence rate was statistically significantly higher in patients with pubic localization (p=0.001). There was a significant difference between the number of localization regions according to recurrence status (p=0.003). The recurrence rate of patients who received cryotherapy was statistically significantly higher (p=0.002). According to the logistic regression analysis; the number of 10 or more warts increases the risk of recurrence to 2.665 times (95% CI: 1.225-5.799) (p=0.013). Cryotherapy increases the risk of recurrence to 6.243 times (95% CI: 1.786-21.828) (p=0.004). Male sex increases the risk of recurrence to 3.034 times (95% CI: 1.029-8.940) (p=0.044). Conclusion: Anogenital warts often recur even if they disappear completely after treatment. It has been observed that the recurrence is more common when the number of warts is more than 10. Recurrence may be observed more frequently in the male gender. Recurrence occurs more frequently with cryotherapy than electrocauterization. The importance of prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccination in preventing anogenital warts is emerging once again due to the high recurrence rate and prolonged treatment period.