title: Silver treatments and silver-impregnated dressings for the healing of leg wounds and ulcers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: Previous systematic reviews of silver-impregnated dressings have been contradictory regarding the healing of leg wounds/ulcers. Our systematic review was restricted to randomized controlled trials. Cochrane Library, Scopus, and MEDLINE databases were searched using the term "silver" in combination with "wound" or "ulcer" (and plural versions) without date/language restriction. Study quality was assessed and meta-analysis conducted for complete wound healing, wound size reduction, and healing rates. Overall study quality was fair with most studies having some bias. Evidence for wound healing using individual studies was poor. Meta-analyses found strong evidence for wound healing based on wound size reduction but no evidence based on complete wound-healing or healing rates. Although our results provide some evidence that silver-impregnated dressings improve the short-term healing of wounds and ulcers, long-term effects remain unclear. Clinical trial data with longer follow-up times are needed to address these issues.
authors.affiliation: Strategic Solutions Inc, Cody, Wyoming 82414, USA. mcarter@strategic-solutions-inc.com
authors.forename: Marissa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tingley-Kelley
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Warriner
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D011379:Prognosis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018030:Silver Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012835:Silver Nitrate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D018030:Silver Compounds; D012835:Silver Nitrate; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine