Verapamil is less effective than triamcinolone for prevention of keloid scar recurrence after excision in a randomized controlled trial

© 2016 The Authors.A double-blind randomized controlled trial with a paired split-scar design compared verapamil, an L-type Ca2+ channel antagonist, and triamcinolone for prevention of keloid recurrence after excision. Ca2+ channel blocking activity of verapamil in keloid cells was explored. One keloid was excised per subject and each wound half randomized to receive intralesional injections of triamcinolone (10 mg/ml) or verapamil (2.5 mg/ml) at monthly intervals (4 doses). Interim analysis was performed after 14 subjects were completed. Survival analysis demonstrated significantly higher keloid recurrence with verapamil compared to triamcinolone 12 months post-surgery (logrank test, p = 0.01) and higher overall risk of recurrence with verapamil (hazard ratio 8.44, 95% CI 1.62–44.05). The study was terminated early according to the stopping guideline (p <0.05). Verapamil is safe but not as effective as triamcinolone in preventing keloid recurrence after excision. Further study is necessary to determine if clinical response to verapamil is linked to modulation of intracellular Ca2+.