Development of Diagnostic Criteria for Common Warts (Verrucae Vulgaris)

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Abstract
Background: Warts are common skin conditions. In most instances, their diagnosis by medical practitioners is a subjective or intuitive decision. Objective: To develop and assess a minimum set of diagnostic criteria for diagnosis of common warts. Methods: Patients with warts and other lesions were recruited. The lesions were diagnosed by the key dermatologist, whose diagnosis was used as the gold standard. They were then examined by two independent medical practitioners, who used a checklist of diagnostic criteria to determine whether the lesions had any or all of the characteristics. A minimum set of diagnostic criteria for common warts was then derived using logistic regression. Results: The diagnostic criteria were: site of wart (elbow, finger, or knee), flesh colour, hyperkeratosis, and discrete margin. Conclusion: Further studies are needed to compare these diagnostic criteria with the medical practitioners' intuitive diagnosis.