Abstract
Our management of anogenital warts was audited. By case-note review 95% were clear of original warts by three months (assuming wart clearance if patients stopped attending). However, by confirmed outcome (documented in case-notes or verified by telephone) only 81% were clear. The main reason for failure was inconsistent patient attendance. Subsequently, clinic staff were advised to emphasize the importance of regular treatment. A second audit was performed after 12 months. By case-note review 127/134 (95%) had achieved wart clearance, but by confirmed outcome only 74/89 (83%) were clear (P = 0.004). More men (89%) achieved clearance than women (80%). Again, the main reason for failure was inconsistent attendance. There are few data of outcomes in clinical practice at three months. Auditable outcome measures should be challenging yet achievable. Perhaps 90% clearance at three months is not achievable in clinical practice when allowing for the evidence base and patient choice. Is it time to revise the standard?
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.