Evaluation of the Efficacy of Topical Hydrocortisone in the Treatment of Anal Fissure in Patients Undergoing Pharmacological Treatment

Abstract

Background and Objective: Anal fissure can be associated with trauma caused by passing hard stools or prolonged diarrhea. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of topical hydrocortisone in the treatment of anal fissures in patients under medical treatment referred to Fatemi Hospital and Kausar Clinic of Ardabil Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran, in 2019. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial study, 200 patients with anal fissures were randomly divided into two groups. The intervention group was treated with diltiazem gel, psyllium powder, lactulose syrup, and hydrocortisone topical ointment. Hydrocortisone ointment was not used in the control group. Results: The mean scores of initial pain were 8.06±0.7 and 7.79±1.02 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. The mean pain at the end of the first week was 2.5±1.06 in the intervention group and 3.34±0.89 in the control group. Pain reduction was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group in the first week of treatment. Two weeks later, the pain was 1.46±0.7 in the intervention group and 1.86±0.74 in the control group. There was a significant difference between the two groups in the first and second weeks of treatment. Conclusion: The therapeutic combination of a topical corticosteroid with a calcium channel blocker at the beginning of treatment for chronic fissures during the first week of treatment led to a faster response in the form of pain reduction