title: Improvement of periulcer skin condition in venous leg ulcer patients: prospective, randomized, controlled, single-blinded clinical trial comparing a biosynthetic cellulose dressing with a foam dressing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a biosynthetic cellulose wound dressing (BWD) to stimulate wound healing in patients with a venous leg ulcer on periulcer skin condition when compared with standard care using a foam dressing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each patient with a venous ulcer received compression therapy with a short stretch bandage system and either a BWD + foam (study group [SG]) or foam (control group [CG]). Periulcer skin condition was compared with the untreated lower leg skin and the forearm skin, using noninvasive parameters, comparing day 0 versus day 28 results. Ulcers were further evaluated for healing rate. The study period was 28 days, and the follow-up period was 12 weeks. Fifty patients were recruited to the study, of which N = 46 (SG, n = 26; CG, n = 20) completed the 28-day study period and were included in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The BWD showed a more improved periulcer skin condition versus the CG. Transepidermal water loss was significantly less in the SG (P = .003), as well as the results shown with the chromatometer (P =. 05). Ulcer healing rate was also statistically significant in favor of the SG (P = .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment for the BWD + foam group was shown to be safe and significantly improved periwound skin condition, leading to more expeditious wound healing than treatment with foam alone.
authors.affiliation: Wound Healing Research Unit, Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romanelli
authors.forename: Anneke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andriessen
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbanera
authors.forename: Maria Stefania
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bertone
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brilli
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D047070:Bandages, Hydrocolloid; D002482:Cellulose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058128:Compression Bandages; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D012869:Skin Absorption / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose