title: Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of the use of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in chronic leg ulcers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Following encouraging reports on the use of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to treat wounds in animals and in man, we conducted a study to test the usefulness of this drug in patients with chronic leg ulcers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients received a single perilesional injection of GM-CSF, the effect of which was observed weekly and compared with that of a placebo injection in a control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treated patients fared much better than controls, prompting an early termination of the study: of 16 GM-CSF treated patients, 3 (19%) had their ulcers healed by week 1; 8 (50%) were healed by week 8; only 1 of 9 controls had the ulcer healed by week 1 (11%), and that was the only ulcer of the group that healed at all. We observed no significant side effects or changes in the hematological and biochemical parameters studied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GM-CSF seems a very useful drug for the healing of leg ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Sangue, Hospital Distrital de Leiria, Portugal.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marques da Costa
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Jesus
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aniceto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor