Efficacy of a two-component compression system for the therapy of venous leg ulcers.
OBJECTIVE
The performance of a two-component compression system in daily practice was assessed in an outpatient clinic where patients with a wide variety of comorbidities and wound characteristics are treated.


METHODS
In the single-centred observational study, patients with venous leg ulcers (VLUs) on one or both legs were treated with a two-component compression system for up to 12 months or until the ulcer healed. The only exclusion criteria were an ABPI <0.8, immobilisation and limited ankle joint flexibility. Study assessment parameters included ulcer size on entry into the study, the presence of skin irritations, occurrence of adverse events and ulcer recurrence. The primary outcome measure was the mean time to healing.


RESULTS
In total, 136 patients with VLUs were included. Baseline median ulcer duration was 7.5 months and the baseline median size was 4.3cm(2). The average reduction in total ulcer surface was 2.9 +/- 5.5cm(2) per month. Of the wounds, 90.4% healed after 12 months; the mean healing time was three months (Kaplan-Meier, CI 95%: 3-4). The baseline wound size had a significant influence on mean healing time (Cox proportional hazards model; p<0.0001), wounds >4.3cm(2) healed within a mean of five months, while wounds <4.3cm(2) healed within a mean of two months (log rank test: p<0.00001).


CONCLUSIONS
Healing results were encouraging and suggest a good applicability in the daily practice of VLU therapy. Further studies will include systematic assessment of patient concordance.


BACKGROUND
None.
Escaleira
R
R
General Surgery Department, Hospital from ULSAM, Viana do Castelo, Portugal. rvescaleira@gmail.com
Cardoso
M
M
Rego
J
J
Macedo
P
P
Midões
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011312:Pressure; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D053828:Stockings, Compression; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000628:therapy*; D014945:Wound Healing