Table 1.
Pooled data on efficacy
| outcome achieved | |||||||
| with | |||||||
| Active | Placebo | ||||||
| Outcome | Number of trials | Number/total | Percent (95% CI) | Number/total | Percent (95% CI) | Relative benefit (95% CI) | NNT (95% CI) |
| Complete clearance of warts | |||||||
| In all patients treated with imiquimod (highest dose) | 5 | 153/303 | 51 (45 to 56) | 16/285 | 6 (3 to 8) | 8.3 (5.2 to 13) | 2.2 (2.0 to 2.6) |
| In patients treated with 5% imiquimod | 4 | 128/273 | 47 (41 to 53) | 15/255 | 6 (3 to 9) | 7.3 (4.5 to 12) | 2.5 (2.1 to 2.9) |
| In patients treated with 1% imiquimod | 2 | 34/192 | 18 (12 to 23) | 14/195 | 7 (4 to 11) | 2.4 (1.4 to 4.4) | 9.5 (5.9 to 25) |
| In women treated with imiquimod (highest dose) | 3 | 85/118 | 72 (64 to 80) | 12/112 | 11(5 to 16) | 6.6 (3.8 to 11) | 1.6 (1.4 to 2.0) |
| In men treated with imiquimod (highest dose) | 3 | 61/166 | 37 (29 to 44) | 4/171 | 2 (1 to 5) | 15 (5.8 to 41) | 2.9 (2.4 to 3.7) |
| At least 50% clearance of warts | |||||||
| In patients treated with 5% imiquimod | 4 | 197/273 | 72 (67 to 78) | 50/255 | 20 (15 to 25) | 3.6 (2.8 to 4.6) | 1.9 (1.7 to 2.2) |
| In patients treated with 1% imiquimod | 2 | 68/198 | 34 (28 to 41) | 45/195 | 23 (17 to 29) | 1.5 (1.1 to 2.1) | 8.1 (4.7 to 30) |
| In women treated with imiquimod (highest dose) | 1 | 39/46 | 85 (74 to 95) | 15/40 | 38 (22 to 53) | 2.3 (1.5 to 3.4) | 2.1 (1.5 to 3.4) |
| In men treated with imiquimod (highest dose) | 2 | 78/114 | 68 (60 to 77) | 17/117 | 15 (8 to 21) | 4.6 (2.9 to 7.2) | 1.9 (1.6 to 2.3) |
| Warts completely cleared and not recurred | |||||||
| In patients treated with 5% imiquimod | 3 | 94/254 | 37 (31 to 43) | 10/253 | 4 (2 to 6) | 9.0 (4.9 to 17) | 3.0 (2.5 to 3.8) |
| In patients treated with 1% imiquimod | 2 | 28/192 | 15 (10 to 20) | 9/195 | 5 (2 to 8) | 2.9 (1.5 to 5.9) | 10 (6.4 to 26) |
| New warts completely cleared | |||||||
| In patients treated with 5% imiquimod | 2 | 16/41 | 39 (24 to 54) | 16/78 | 21 (12 to 30) | 2.0 (1.1 to 3.7) | 5.4 (2.8 to 91) |
Outcomes are reported for various doses of imiquimod and durations of treatment. When 5% and 1% imiquimod was used in a singe trial, the 5% results are compared with placebo unless specified otherwise. Only studies with HIV-negative patients have been pooled CI = confidence interval; NNT = number needed to treat