Long-term outcome study of growth factor-treated pressure ulcers.
BACKGROUND
Exogenous application of growth factors have been reported in an attempt to accelerate healing of chronic wounds. Most of the trials were of brief duration with short to no follow-up periods. Long-term outcome studies are sparse for pressure ulcer therapies with success rates around 30% for both operative and nonoperative treatments.


METHODS
Follow-up evaluations were performed serially up to 12 months for patients completing a 35 day blinded, placebo-controlled cytokine clinical trial of pressure ulcers.


RESULTS
Fifty-four of 61 patients completed the follow-up period with 68.5% of the patients (37 of 54) being healed after 1 year. Of patients healing > or =85% during the active treatment phase, 84.6% were healed after 1 year compared with 61% of those that healed <85% during treatment (P <0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term outcome was better in this growth factor trial than with surgical or standard nonoperative treatment of pressure ulcers. Since only patients receiving exogenously applied cytokines achieved >85% closure during the treatment phase of the trial, the excellent long-term outcome appears attributable to the cytokine therapy.
Department of Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
W G
WG
Payne
D E
DE
Ochs
D D
DD
Meltzer
D P
DP
Hill
R J
RJ
Mannari
L E
LE
Robson
M C
MC
Robson
D000287:Administration, Topical; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
D006133:Growth Substances; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor