title: Randomized controlled trial comparing treatment outcome of two compression bandaging systems and standard care without compression in patients with venous leg ulcers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Compression therapy is not common for venous leg ulcer patients in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized controlled trial compared the clinical effectiveness of compression bandaging using four-layer bandaging (4LB) or short-stretch bandaging (SSB) and usual care (moist wound healing dressing without compression). The 24-week study looked at venous leg ulcer patients aged >60 years in a community setting. The primary parameter was time to ulcer healing. Secondary parameters were ulcer area and pain reduction comparing week 0 (start) vs week 24 (end), measuring results per group and between groups. Intention-to-treat analysis involved descriptive statistics, survival analysis, and repeated measures analysis of variance. The log-rank test was used for univariable analysis. All withdrawn patients had a negative outcome score over the whole study duration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 321 patients who received randomized treatment, 45 (14%) did not complete the 24-week study period. At 24 weeks, Kaplan-Meier analysis on healing time was statistically significant (P < .001) in favor of the compression groups. The mean (SD) healing time in the SSB group (9.9 [0.77]) was shorter than that of the 4LB group (10.4 [0.80]) and the usual care group (18.3 [0.86]). Pain reduction was significant (P < .001) for the compression-treated groups only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compression bandaging was more effective than usual care without compression. Both compression systems were safe and feasible for venous ulcer patients in a community setting in Hong Kong.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Irene K Y
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Anneke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andriessen
authors.forename: Diana T F
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Lau Yun
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: David V K
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Winnie K W
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: So
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D003153:Community Health Services; D058128:Compression Bandages / Q000009:adverse effects; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014945:Wound Healing