Reliability and validity of DESIGN, a tool that classifies pressure ulcer severity and monitors healing

Surgical wound assessment tool: Construct validity and inter-rater reliability of a tool designed for nurses

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To validate construct validity and inter-rater reliability of a surgical wound assessment tool.

BACKGROUND

Wound assessment is central to appropriate wound management. However, limited standard surgical wound assessment tools are available to assist nurses in assessing and recording progress in the healing of surgical wounds.

DESIGN

A prospective observational study was utilised to test the validity and reliability. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guideline was used.

METHODS

Convenience sampling was used to recruit 260 patients who underwent elective or emergency surgery at a hospital in Vietnam. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the construct validity of the surgical wound assessment tool. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient and Cohen's kappa to determine reliability of the overall scale and identified items.

RESULTS

The results of the exploratory factor analysis supported a three-component structure of the surgical wound assessment tool. The intraclass correlation coefficient value of the overall scale was 0.79 (95% CI 0.67-0.89), p < .001, confirming excellent inter-rater reliability. Cohen's kappa value ranged from 0.5 to 1, demonstrating moderate to almost perfect level of agreement for individual items, except for one item on pain.

CONCLUSION

The surgical wound assessment tool was deemed to be acceptable, valid and reliable for monitoring the status of surgical wound healing. However, further modification and testing are needed to strengthen the tool and to determine the applicability of the tool in other populations.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The application of the SWAT would improve the assessment of surgical wounds in daily nursing practice which will promote improved postoperative wound management. It is an easy and practical tool for enhancing inter-disciplinary communication and care outcomes for all patients with surgical wounds.

Nationwide time-series surveys of pressure ulcer prevalence in Japan

OBJECTIVE

The Japanese Society of Pressure Ulcers (JSPU) has two purposes: first, to improve knowledge and skills among health professionals related to preventing and managing pressure ulcers (PUs); and second, to represent those in the field managing PUs, including with government and health authorities. Since 2006, JSPU has conducted fact-finding surveys about every four years to identify PU prevalence in Japan (2006, 2010, 2013 and 2016). Based on the prevalence identified by these surveys, an attempt was made to validate the achievements of JSPU's activities.

METHOD

Information from one-day surveys of hospitals, long-term care health facilities, long-term care welfare facilities, and home visit nursing care stations was analysed. We used generalised estimating equations to estimate the proportions of PUs and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each survey.

RESULTS

A total of 662,419 patients in 2631 facilities participated in the surveys. The estimated proportions for all facilities (95% CI) in chronological order, from the first to the fourth survey, were: 2.67% (2.52-2.83); 2.61% (2.43-2.80); 1.99% (1.83-2.17); and 1.79% (1.65-1.94), respectively. In all facility types, the proportion of PUs was lower in the fourth survey than the first survey.

CONCLUSION

The proportion of PUs showed a decreasing trend and was low according to global standards, demonstrating the efficacy of JSPU's activities.

Wound tissue segmentation by computerised image analysis of clinical pressure injury photographs: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE

Wound tissues can provide ample information about the wound development and healing process. However, the manual identification and measurement of wound tissue types is time-consuming and challenging due to the complexities of pressure injuries (PI). This study aims to develop an image analysis algorithm to automatically identify and differentiate wound tissue types from PI wound beds.

METHOD

This was a cross-sectional algorithm development study. PI photographs were obtained from a western Pennsylvania hospital. We used our previously developed wound bed segmentation tool to identify PI wound beds. We then used the k-means clustering method to classify the subzones on the wound beds. Finally, the support vector machine classifier was used to identify the classified subzones to certain types of wound tissue.

RESULTS

An image analysis algorithm was developed, using 64 selected PI photographs, to automatically identify different wound tissues for PIs.

CONCLUSION

Validation of the wound tissue identification of the PIs by image analysis algorithm demonstrated that our image analysis algorithm is a reliable and objective approach to monitoring wound healing progress through clinical PI photographs, and offers new insight into PI evaluation and documentation.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Development of a surgical wound assessment tool to measure healing and risk factors for delayed wound healing in Vietnam: a Delphi process

OBJECTIVE

To identify items and develop a surgical wound assessment tool (SWAT) to measure progress in healing and early detection of risk factors for delayed healing in surgical wounds in patients in Vietnam.

METHOD

The development process included two phases: (i) development of the initial SWAT based on evidence-based guidelines, results of a literature review and consultation with surgeons; and (ii) a Delphi process with wound care nurse experts to refine and provide consensus on a final version of the SWAT. Data collection took place between April-August 2017.

RESULTS

In phase one, 22 items were included and were evaluated by ten Vietnamese surgeons, with item-content validity index (I-CVI) scores of 1.00 in 17 out of 22 items. The remaining items had I-CVI ranking of 0.8 to 0.9. The overall scale-content validity index was 0.97. Eight more items were recommended for inclusion, increasing the total to 30 items. In phase two, 21 Vietnamese nurse wound care experts completed all three rounds of the Delphi process. After three rounds, 24 items out of 30 reached full consensus for the final tool.

CONCLUSION

This study was the first step to confirm the content validity of the newly developed SWAT. Further development of the tool including the evaluation of validity and reliability was undertaken to strengthen the tool.

Negative pressure wound therapy, artificial skin and autogenous skin implantation in diabetic foot ulcers

OBJECTIVE

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are one of the most serious diabetic consequences, leading to amputations. Various therapies have been used to treat DFUs; however, a combination of negative pressure suction, artificial skin and autogenous skin implantation have never been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel three-step therapy protocol using negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), artificial skin and autogenous skin implantation in patients with DFUs.

METHOD

At a single tertiary university hospital between 2015 and 2018, the three-step therapy protocol was applied to patients with DFUs and its safety and efficacy was investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 21 patients took part in the study. The majority of the patients were female (62%), with a mean age of 65 years and a mean body mass index of 21kg/m². A third (n=7) of operative sites experienced minor complications, with two requiring re-operation. At a median follow up of 24 months, the average time of complete wound healing was 46 days, and the wound healing rate was 71%. The first-stage wound healing rate was 90%. All patients had achieved remission without any further recurrence of disease.

CONCLUSION

This comprehensive surgical technique for managing DFUs achieved a high local cure rate, minimal functional morbidity, and acceptable wound complication rates. The three-step therapy protocol has the potential to promote the healing process of DFUs, which is expected to serve as a new method for the treatment and cure of DFUs.

Botulinum toxin treatment for difficult-to-treat finger pressure ulcers caused by severe hand flexion: case report

We report the successful treatment of two cases of difficult-to-treat pressure ulcers with botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A). A 71-year-old male patient with Parkinson's disease presented with severe hand grip deformities of the fingers and a pressure ulcer (PU) on the right hand. He received 240U of BoNT-A into the upper limb muscles, which improved finger mobility during passive extension and resulted in resolution of the palm PU. No recurrence was noted. A 69-year-old female patient with Lewy body dementia presented with a PU on the palm side of the middle finger apex of the right hand, with exposure of the phalanx bone and dark red oedematous granulation of the tip of the finger. Severe muscle tone was noted. She received 240U of BoNT-A injected into the muscles of the upper extremities. This resulted in the disappearance of the contracture between the middle finger cusp and palm, and prompt healing of the PU. A protective finger orthosis was also used to improve hand finger grip and prevent further PUs. Although BoNT-A injection resulted in only slight improvement in the range of motion, it produced relief of pressure with consequent healing of the PU. Injection of BoNT-A into the affected muscles of the patients in this case report was effective in reducing flexor muscle tone, relief of pressure on the palm skin and healing of hand PUs.

Hard-to-heal wound treatment medical devices: clinical trial protocol in Japan

In consultation with academia and the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), we have developed guidance for drafting protocols for clinical trials concerning medical devices for the healing of hard-to-heal wounds without ischaemia. The guidance summarises the validity of single-arm trials for hard-to-heal wounds, the definition of hard-to-heal wounds without ischaemia, methods of patient enrolment and clinical endpoints. This review focuses on the logical thinking process that was used when establishing the guidance for improving the efficiency of clinical trials concerning medical devices for hard-to-heal wounds. We particularly focused on the feasibility of conducting single-arm trials and also tried to clarify the definition of hard-to-heal wounds. If the feasibility of randomised control trials is low, conducting single-arm trials should be considered for the benefit of patients. In addition, hard-to-heal wounds were defined as meeting the following two conditions: wounds with a wound area reduction <50% at four weeks despite appropriate standards of care; and wounds which cannot be closed by a relatively simple procedure (for example, suture, skin graft and small flaps). Medical devices for hard-to-heal wound healing are classified into two types: (1) devices for promoting re-epithelialisation; and (2) devices for improving the wound bed. For medical devices for promoting re-epithelialisation, we suggest setting complete wound closure, percent wound area reduction or distance moved by the wound edge as the primary endpoint in single-arm trials for hard-to-heal wounds. For medical devices for improving the wound bed, we suggest setting the period in which wounds can be closed by secondary intention or a simple procedure, such as the primary endpoint.

The measurement properties of assessment tools for chronic wounds: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Chronic wounds are an increasing problem in the aging population, patients experience a lower health-related quality of life and the care for these patients is associated with high costs. Thorough wound assessments facilitate objective monitoring of wound status and progress. A wound assessment tool can guide clinicians in these wound assessments and in recording wound progress or deterioration.

OBJECTIVE

Systematically identify assessment tools for chronic wounds, investigate their measurement properties, and summarize the data per assessment tool.

DESIGN

Systematic review METHODS: The databases Medline (PubMed interface), Embase, CINAHL, and CENTRAL were systematically searched until May 2020 (updated in February 2021). Studies reporting the development and/or the evaluation of measurement properties of assessment tools for chronic wounds were included. The "Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments" risk of Bias checklist was applied to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. Each reported measurement property was rated against criteria for good measurement properties. The evidence was summarized and the quality of the evidence was graded using a modified Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. Study selection, data extraction and quality appraisal were conducted independently by two reviewers and double-checked by a third reviewer.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven studies describing the measurement properties of fourteen assessment tools for chronic wounds were included. None of the studies reported a content validity evaluation by a relevance study or a comprehensiveness study in professionals. Six articles reported the development or revision of an existing assessment tool. The reported measurement properties included: structural validity (5 studies), reliability (18 studies), hypotheses testing for construct validity (18 studies) and responsiveness (7 studies). Internal consistency, cross-cultural validity / measurement invariance and measurement error were not reported. If criterion validity was assessed, the results were allocated to hypotheses testing for construct validity as no 'gold standard' is available.

CONCLUSIONS

Fourteen assessment tools for chronic wounds were identified. Construct validity (by hypotheses testing) and responsiveness of the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing version 3.0 were supported by sufficient ratings based on moderate to high level quality of evidence. Reliability of the (Revised) Photographic Wound Assessment Tool had a sufficient rating based on moderate quality of evidence. The ratings of the measurement properties of the other wound assessment tools were either insufficient or indeterminate, or a sufficient result was supported by low to very low quality of evidence. Registration number in PROSPERO: CRD42020183920 Tweetable abstract: A systematic review giving a clear overview of the measurement properties of available assessment tools for chronic wounds.

Outcomes of wound care nurses' practice in patients with pressure ulcers: An integrative review

BACKGROUND

Wound care nurses are recognised as a key element for improving health outcomes. However, there is still fragmented knowledge of the outcomes associated with their practice in individuals with pressure ulcers.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To identify, summarise and map all available evidence related to the outcomes of wound care nurses' practice in individuals with pressure ulcers.

DESIGN

Integrative literature review.

REVIEW METHOD

To report the review, we followed the modified version of Cooper's five-step methodology, and the PRISMA guidelines.

METHODS

The search was carried out on CINAHL, PubMed, the Cochrane Library and Scopus, with a time frame ranging from each database inception to December 21, 2019. We included observational or experimental studies of adult individuals affected by (or at risk of) developing pressure ulcers who were also cared for by wound care nurses.

RESULTS

Of the 439 peer-reviewed publications, 13 studies met the inclusion criteria. The most frequent outcomes were pressure ulcer incidence, healing rate and time taken for complete healing. Less frequent outcomes were changes in pressure ulcers' stage, number of completely healed wounds, treatment costs and physical discomfort. No patient-reported outcomes were assessed.

CONCLUSION

This review indicates that clinical-related outcomes were by far the most reported. Future studies should broaden the spectrum of outcomes to include more subjective parameters (e.g. pain, quality of life, stress, etc.), in order to gain a better understanding of the global impact of wound care practice on patients with pressure ulcers.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

There is promising evidence of a positive impact of wound care nurses' practice on health and economic outcomes. Nonetheless, more robust and rigorous research is needed to provide stronger evidence in the field and support investment in these practitioners.

Investigator-initiated clinical study of a functional peptide, SR-0379, for limb ulcers of patients with Werner syndrome as a pilot study

AIM

An investigator-initiated clinical study was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic potency of SR-0379 for the treatment of leg ulcers in patients with Werner syndrome.

METHODS

A multicenter, open-label study was carried out from September 2017 to February 2018. The inclusion criteria for leg ulcers were: (i) leg ulcers in patients with Werner syndrome, diabetes or critical limb ischemia/venous stasis; and (ii) a wound size of >1 cm and <6 cm in diameter. Four individuals with Werner syndrome and diabetic ulcers, respectively, were enrolled. SR-0379 (0.1%) was sprayed on skin ulcers once per day for 4 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated by determining the rate of wound size reduction as a primary end-point at 4 weeks after the first treatment compared with the pretreatment wound size. As secondary end-points, the DESIGN-R score index, the 50% wound size reduction ratio, time to wound closure and quantification of wound bacteria were also evaluated. The safety of SR-0379 was evaluated during the study period.

RESULTS

The reduction rate of ulcer size treated with 0.1% SR-0379 was 22.90% (mean) in the Werner syndrome ulcers group (n = 4) and 35.70% (mean) in the diabetic ulcers group (n = 4), respectively. The DESIGN-R score decreased by 4.0 points in the Werner syndrome ulcers group and 4.3 points in the diabetic ulcers group. Two mild adverse events were reported in two patients, and causal relationships were denied in any events.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with SR-0379 was safe, well-tolerated, and effective for leg ulcers of both Werner syndrome and diabetes patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 1118-1123.

Validity of DMIST for monitoring healing of diabetic foot ulcers

A new diabetic foot evaluation scale was proposed, using the seven domains of depth, maceration, inflammation/infection, size, tissue type of the wound bed, type of wound edge, and tunneling/undermining. This scale was named "DMIST" as an acronym from the initials of the domains. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of DMIST. Secondary analysis was conducted in three investigations performed using the diabetic foot ulcer assessment scale (DFUAS) in Japan and Indonesia. Secondary analysis was assessed using DMIST, PUSH, and DESIGN for 4 weeks based on DFUAS score and photographs of diabetic foot ulcers by researchers. Concurrent validity was determined from the correlation of total DMIST scores with PUSH and DESIGN scores. Construct validity was determined by comparisons between total DMIST score and grade of the Wagner classification. Predictive validity was determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for wound non-healing 4 weeks later. Subjects comprised 35 Japanese patients and 118 Indonesian patients. Correlations of total DMIST score with PUSH and DESIGN scores were 0.831 and 0.822, respectively. Comparison of total DMIST scores with grade of the Wagner classification (Grade I vs. Grade II/III vs. Grade IV/V) was p < 0.001. Based on an area under the curve of 0.872, a DMIST score of 9 was selected as a cut-off, offering sensitivity of 0.855 and specificity of 0.786 for wound non-healing 4 weeks later. Our findings suggest that DMIST offers high validity.

The Perth Surgical Wound Dehiscence Risk Assessment Tool (PSWDRAT): development and prospective validation in the clinical setting

OBJECTIVE

The worldwide volume of surgery today is considerable and postoperative wound healing plays a significant part in facilitating a patient's recovery and rehabilitation. While contemporary surgical procedures are relatively safe, complications such as surgical wound dehiscence (SWD) or breakdown of the incision site may occur despite advances in surgical techniques, infection control practices and wound care. SWD impacts on patient mortality and morbidity and significantly contributes to prolonged hospital stay. Preoperative identification of patients at risk of SWD may be valuable in reducing the risk of postoperative wound complications.

METHOD

A three-phase study was undertaken to determine risk factors associated with SWD, develop a preoperative patient risk assessment tool and to prospectively validate the tool in a clinical setting. Phases 1 and 2 were retrospective case control studies. Phase 1 determined variables associated with SWD and these informed the development of a risk assessment tool. Univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression were applied to identify predictors of surgical risk. Phase 2 used the receiver operator curve statistic to determine the predictive power of the tool. Phase 3 involved a prospective consecutive case series validation to test the inter-rater reliability and predictive power of the tool.

RESULTS

In addition to those already identified in the literature, one independent risk predictor for SWD was identified: previous surgery in the same anatomical location (p<0.001, odds ratio [OR] 4). Multiple combined factors were integrated into the tool and included: age (p<0.019, OR 3), diabetes (p<0.624, OR 2), obesity (p<0.94, OR 1.4), smoking (p<0.387, OR 2), cardiovascular disease (p<0.381 OR 3) and peripheral arterial disease (p<0.501, OR 3). The predictive power of the tool yielded 71% in a combined data sample.

CONCLUSION

Patients with previous surgery in the same anatomical location were four times more likely to incur a dehiscence. Identification of at-risk patients for complications postoperatively is integral to reducing SWD occurrence and improving health-related outcomes following surgery.

Assessing subclinical inflammation by peroxidase detection in patients with pressure ulcers

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the superiority of peroxidase detection of macroscopic observations using rat wounds, and to test the external validity of the peroxidase analysis in pressure ulcers (PU) in humans.

METHOD

In the animal study, rat wounds were analysed. A cross-sectional study analysed, by wound blotting, exudate samples from full-thickness PUs. Peroxidase activity was divided into two groups (ring and non-ring signals). Scores in the 'inflammation/infection' and 'necrotic tissue' components of DESIGN, a classification tool of PUs, were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

In the animal study, 20 rat wounds were assessed and in the clinical study, 62 samples were collected from 26 full-thickness PUs of 21 patients aged ≥ 65 years. In the animal study, five of six wounds with clinical inflammation signs showed ring signal (defined as a signal on the wound edge and no signal on the wound bed). While the tissue sections of three wounds with a ring signal showed inflammatory features, they showed no clinical signs of 'inflammation/infection'. In the clinical study, which analysed 630 ring and 32 non-ring signals, 13 samples in the ring signal group and five in the non-ring signal group had 'inflammation/infection; scores of ≥1 (p=0.016). Despite having no clinical signs, 17 samples showed the ring signal.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed the external validity of the wound blotting analysis of peroxidase and demonstrated its use to detect subclinical inflammation.

Effectiveness of biofilm-based wound care system on wound healing in chronic wounds

A biofilm plays a crucial role in delaying wound healing. Sharp debridement, a possible effective method for eliminating biofilms, can only be applied to the wound with visible necrotic tissue; thus, no option has been available for eliminating biofilms that are not accompanied by necrotic tissue. Wound blotting was recently developed to visualize biofilm noninvasively and quickly, and ultrasonic debridement is available for biofilm removal. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of "biofilm-based wound care system (BWCS)," a combination of wound blotting as a point-of-care testing and ultrasonic debridement, for promoting wound healing. Firstly, the cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the proportion of biofilm removal by ultrasonic debridement in pressure ulcers [Study 1]. Subsequently, the retrospective cohort study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of BWCS for healing of chronic wounds [Study 2]. The proportions of wound healing between wounds treated with BWCS and those with standard care in the home-visiting clinic were compared by Kaplan-Meier curve, and the Cox proportional hazard modeling was used to assess the effect of BWCS on wound healing. In Study 1, the median of biofilm removal proportion was 38.9% (interquartile range, 12.9-68.0%) for pressure ulcers treated with standard care and 65.2% (41.1-78.8%) for those treated with ultrasonic debridement (p = 0.009). In Study 2, the proportion of wound healing within 90 days was significantly higher in wounds treated with BWCS than in those treated with standard care (p = 0.001). The adjusted hazard ratio of BWCS for wound healing was 4.5 (95% confidence interval, 1.3-15.0; p = 0.015). In conclusion, we demonstrated that our novel approach, BWCS, can be a promising therapeutic strategy for visualizing biofilms that are not accompanied by necrotic tissue and promoting healing in chronic wounds.

Color Doppler Ultrasonography to Evaluate Hypoechoic Areas in Pressure Ulcers: A Report of Two Cases

Ultrasound (US) is frequently used for evaluating inflammation of subcutaneous tissue caused by pressure ulcers (PUs), but color Doppler mode (CDM) helps to better identify inflammatory edema in subcutaneous fat and necrotic tissue in PUs. We report two cases where inflammatory edema in subcutaneous fat and necrotic tissue in PUs are identified using small US equipment with CDM. Case 1 – An 82-year-old male presented with cerebral infarction and a Category III PU in the sacral region. B-mode gray-scale US imaging (B-mode imaging) revealed a thickened layer of subcutaneous fat with fat lobules and homogeneous cobblestone appearance with fluid accumulation within the echo-free space. CDM did not identify any color signal (CS) in hypoechoic areas. Case 2 – A 29-year-old female presented with cytopenia and decreased renal function with a Category IV PU with undermining in the coccyx region. B-mode imaging distinguished the necrotic tissue, indicating a diffuse hypoechoic area with no layers, unclear borders, and uneven gray level (cloud-like image) in the subcutaneous fat. Similar B-mode imaging findings were obtained in inflammatory edema with cobblestone appearance. CDM did not detect a CS in the hypoechoic areas but confirmed peripheral hypervascularity. CDM imaging identified inflammatory edema in the subcutaneous fat and necrotic tissue in PUs. Specifically, CDM may better evaluate early-stage PUs with necrotic tissue by distinguishing necrosis from intense inflammatory edema.

Physician-initiated clinical study of limb ulcers treated with a functional peptide, SR-0379: from discovery to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

SR-0379 is a functional peptide that has wound healing effect with anti-microbial action, making it an ideal drug to prevent infection. To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of SR-0379 for the treatment of leg ulcers, a physician-initiated, phase I/IIa, first-in-patient clinical study was designed. A multi-center, double-blind, randomized clinical study was conducted from October 2015 to September 2016. The inclusion criteria for leg ulcers were (1) diabetes or critical limb ischemia and (2) wound size <6 cm in diameter. Twelve patients were randomized into four groups and administered 0.02%, 0.1%, or 0.5% SR-0379 or placebo treatment on skin ulcers once per day for 28 days. Efficiency was evaluated by determining the rate of wound size reduction as a primary endpoint at 4 weeks after the first treatment compared with the pre-treatment wound size. As a secondary endpoint, the DESIGN-R score index, time to wound closure, and the 50% wound size reduction ratio were also evaluated. The safety of SR-0379 was evaluated during the study period. In the evaluation of efficiency, the skin ulcer reduction rates at the last evaluation were 44.73% for the 0.02% SR-0379 group, 68.25% for the 0.1% group, and 71.61% for the 0.5% group, compared with 9.95% for the placebo group. Six adverse events were reported in four patients, of which one occurred in the placebo group, and causal relationships to study drugs were denied for all six events. Treatment with SR-0379 for chronic leg ulcers was safe, well tolerated, and effective.

Chronic leg ulcers result in substantial impairment of patient quality of life with a socioeconomic impact both in terms of medical care and missed work days. A teams led by Hironori Nakagami at Osaka University originally identified a functional peptide, SR-0379, and evaluated the safety and efficacy of SR-0379 for the treatment of leg ulcers in a physician-initiated, first-in-patient, a multi-center, double-blind, randomized clinical study. In the evaluation of efficiency, the skin ulcer reduction rates were improved for the SR-0379 treated groups in a dose-dependent manner, compared for the placebo group with no causal adverse events. Since treatment with SR-0379 for chronic leg ulcers was safe, well tolerated, and effective in this initial clinical trial, the clinical trial on next stage will be designed toward peptide drug development.

Can Wound Exudate from Venous Leg Ulcers Measure Wound Pain Status?: A Pilot Study

We investigated the associations between the self-evaluated pain status and two pain biomarker candidates, nerve growth factor and S100A8/A9, in exudate from venous leg ulcer to finally develop an objective pain evaluation method. Patients with venous leg ulcer participated in this cross-sectional observational study conducted between April and October 2014 at two medical facilities. During routine wound care, each participant self-evaluated their pain status at each examination using the 10-point numerical rating scale (present pain intensity) and the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire 2 (continuous pain, intermittent pain, neuropathic pain, affective descriptors, and total score). Venous leg ulcer exudate sample was collected after wound cleansing. The nerve growth factor and S100A8/A9 concentrations in the venous leg ulcer exudate were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and standardized according to the wound area. The association between each pain status and the two standardized protein concentrations was evaluated using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. In 30 sample collected from 13 participants, the standardized nerve growth factor concentration was negatively correlated with continuous pain (ρ = -0.47, P = 0.01), intermittent pain (ρ = -0.48, P = 0.01), neuropathic pain (ρ = -0.51, P = 0.01), and total score (ρ = -0.46, P = 0.01). The standardized S100A8/A9 concentration was positively correlated with present pain intensity (ρ = 0.46, P = 0.03) and continuous pain (ρ = 0.48, P = 0.03). Thus, these two proteins may be useful for objective evaluation of wound pain in venous leg ulcer patients.

A Mobile Application for Wound Assessment and Treatment: Findings of a User Trial

The D+Wound Solution is a mobile phone application (app) that assists users in the assessment and treatment of the wound. The app has 6 components for assessment: need for debridement, infection control, revascularization, and exudate control; whether it is chronic; and finally, the top surface of the skin. These components are named D.I.R.E.C.T. The app makes you review these components as an algorithm to provide a reasonable solution for dressing. It is designed to understand the status of the wound and provide a practical treatment idea for wound care providers. A total of 118 nurses were divided into 2 groups, designated as experienced and less-experienced groups, and surveyed. Both groups found the app to be helpful in making a treatment plan. However, the less-experienced group found it to be significantly more useful in assessing the wound ( P = .026) but difficult to understand the logic. The experienced group found the logic to be significantly easier to understand ( P = .018) and had significantly higher similarities ( P = .015) in treatment protocols compared with the less-experienced group. We may conclude that this app has a logical algorithm resembling experienced wound caregivers and is more useful in the less-experienced group.

The relationship between malignant wound status and pain in breast cancer patients

PURPOSE

Skin metastasis is one of the most frequent metastases in breast cancer patients. Patients with malignant wounds experience numerous symptoms, including serious wound pain. However, the features of pain related to malignant wounds have not been investigated. Nurses can experience a dilemma when treating these patients due to a lack of knowledge of the pain. The aims of this study were to examine the quality and intensity of malignant wound pain and to determine the association between wound status and pain in the patients with malignant wounds.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants were recruited from a breast centre based in a general hospital. We collected the patients' demographic and wound management data and assessed wound condition. Patients evaluated wound pain intensity and quality over the preceding week using the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ). The association between SF-MPQ results, wound condition, and the time interval for wound care was evaluated using the Spearman's correlation coefficient. The protocol was approved by the Ethical Committee of the each facilities.

RESULTS

The median age of the 22 enrolled patients was 61.5 years, and the median time after diagnosis of malignant wound was 15.5 months. Overall, 77.3% of patients complained of pain. Malignant wound pain significantly correlated with the degradation of wound edges, granulation tissue, and the time interval for wound care.

CONCLUSION

We consider that it is necessary to provide pain-control care focused on the wound edge and granulation tissue of malignant wounds through the assessment of malignant wound pain and condition.

Cost-utility analysis of an advanced pressure ulcer management protocol followed by trained wound, ostomy, and continence nurses

The high prevalence of severe pressure ulcers (PUs) is an important issue that requires to be highlighted in Japan. In a previous study, we devised an advanced PU management protocol to enable early detection of and intervention for deep tissue injury and critical colonization. This protocol was effective for preventing more severe PUs. The present study aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of the care provided using an advanced PU management protocol, from a medical provider's perspective, implemented by trained wound, ostomy, and continence nurses (WOCNs), with that of conventional care provided by a control group of WOCNs. A Markov model was constructed for a 1-year time horizon to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of advanced PU management compared with conventional care. The number of quality-adjusted life-years gained, and the cost in Japanese yen (¥) ($US1 = ¥120; 2015) was used as the outcome. Model inputs for clinical probabilities and related costs were based on our previous clinical trial results. Univariate sensitivity analyses were performed. Furthermore, a Bayesian multivariate probability sensitivity analysis was performed using Monte Carlo simulations with advanced PU management. Two different models were created for initial cohort distribution. For both models, the expected effectiveness for the intervention group using advanced PU management techniques was high, with a low expected cost value. The sensitivity analyses suggested that the results were robust. Intervention by WOCNs using advanced PU management techniques was more effective and cost-effective than conventional care.

Lower temperature at the wound edge detected by thermography predicts undermining development in pressure ulcers: a pilot study

Undermined pressure ulcers (PUs) are troublesome complications that are likely to delay wound healing. Early skin incision and debridement can prevent the deterioration of undermined PUs, thus it is necessary to identify devitalised tissue areas to determine the appropriate timing for such interventions. This retrospective cohort study evaluated whether a lower temperature at the wound edge than the wound bed and periwound skin, detected by thermography, can predict undermining development in PUs 1 week after the assessment. Twenty-two participants with category III, IV, or unstageable PUs who were examined by interdisciplinary PU team and were followed up for at least two consecutive weeks were analysed. We found 9/11 PUs without a lower temperature at the wound edge did not develop undermining development, whereas 8/11 PUs with the lower temperature did develop undermining. The relative risk of undermining development after 1 week in PUs with the lower temperature was 4·00 (95% confidence intervals: 1·08-14·7). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 0·80, 0·75, 0·73 and 0·81, respectively. A thermal imaging assessment focusing on a lower temperature pattern at the wound edge may provide sufficient information to predict undermining development.

Economic evaluations of guideline-based or strategic interventions for the prevention or treatment of chronic wounds

BACKGROUND

Costs of chronic wound care are significant, but systematic reviews of cost-effectiveness studies regarding guideline-based or strategic interventions are scarce.

OBJECTIVES

Our objectives were to assess/compare the cost effectiveness of new interventions/systems designed to improve the prevention/treatment of chronic wounds in adult populations against current care and provide decision makers with information on which to base future interventions for chronic wound management.

DATA SOURCES

Data sources included PubMed, Scopus, HTA, and NHS EED.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTERVENTIONS

We included comparative health economic evaluations of interventions published in English designed to prevent or treat adult chronic wounds that were guideline-based or strategic in nature and from which an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio or incremental net health benefit was reported or could be calculated.

STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS

Study and model characteristics and outcomes were extracted into pre-designed tables. Quality assessment of studies was based on literature-reported methods. Studies were assigned strength of evidence ratings and recommendation level for decision makers.

RESULTS

A total of 16 health economic evaluations were included, of which ten were trial based and six were wholly model based. Only three studies had high, and five studies moderate, strength of evidence and were recommended for decision makers. All studies had some shortcomings regarding time horizon, costs, effectiveness units, and methodological reporting. Two studies had major flaws.

LIMITATIONS

Limitations include missed studies published in non-English languages or not cited in searched databases; judgment bias in assessing studies.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS

Few well conducted cost-effectiveness studies exist to guide decision makers regarding guideline-based or strategic interventions for chronic wounds.

Undermining incision and healing of deep pressure ulcers: a prospective cohort study of pressure ulcers by the Japanese national hospital organization

Undermining is one of the most challenging complications of deep pressure ulcers. Recommendations in most guidelines are based only on expert opinions. Here, we examined the relationship between surgical incision of the undermined space and pressure ulcer healing through a Japanese multicenter prospective cohort study. A total of 162 patients with undermining in 40 national hospitals in Japan were enrolled from July 2007 to June 2009. The incision group included 39 patients (24.1%) whose undermining was surgically incised during the observational period. Their 4-week follow-up data on pressure ulcer severity and areas of healthy granulation tissue were recorded as outcome variables using the DESIGN-R pressure ulcer assessment tool. The 4-week follow-up was restarted after the incision in the incision group. The outcome variables over time were compared between the two groups using a linear mixed model with or without adjustment for demographic and other variables. The incision group showed more rapid improvement in the total and granulation DESIGN-R scores compared with the nonincision group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.007, respectively, in the crude models). This study may provide the first considerable evidence to support that surgical incision of undermining may promote healing of deep pressure ulcers.

Novel collagen/gelatin scaffold with sustained release of basic fibroblast growth factor: clinical trial for chronic skin ulcers

Chronic skin ulcers such as diabetic ulcers and venous leg ulcers are increasing and are a costly problem in healthcare. We have developed a novel artificial dermis, collagen/gelatin sponge (CGS), which is capable of sustained release of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) for more than 10 days. The objective of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of CGS impregnated with bFGF in the treatment of chronic skin ulcers. Patients with chronic skin ulcers that had not healed in at least 4 weeks were treated with CGS impregnated with bFGF at 7 or 14 μg/cm(2) after debridement, and the wound bed improvement was assessed 14 days after application. Wound bed improvement was defined as a granulated and epithelialized area on day 14 with a proportion to the baseline wound area after debridement of 50% or higher. The wound area, the wound area on day 14, and the granulation area on day 14 were independently measured by blinded reviewers in a central review using digital images of wounds taken with a calibrator. Patients were followed up until 28 days after application to observe the adverse reactions related to the application of CGS. From May 2010 to June 2011, 17 patients were enrolled and, in 16 patients, the wound bed improved. Among the randomized patients in step 2, no significant difference was seen between the low-dose group and the high-dose group. No serious adverse reactions were observed. Adverse reactions with a clear causal relationship to the study treatment were mild and patients quickly recovered from them. This study is the first-in-man clinical trial of CGS and showed the safety and efficacy of CGS impregnated with bFGF in the treatment of chronic skin ulcers. This combination therapy could be a promising therapy for chronic skin ulcers.

An exploratory clinical study on the safety and efficacy of an autologous fibroblast-seeded artificial skin cultured with animal product-free medium in patients with diabetic foot ulcers

Cultured dermal substitutes have been used for the treatment of chronic skin ulcers; however, the biological risks of animal-derived materials in the culture process such as foetal bovine serum (FBS) have been reported. In this study, we prepared an autologous fibroblast-seeded artificial dermis (AFD) using animal-product-free medium supplemented with 2% patient autologous serum and without any animal-derived materials such as trypsin in the culturing process. We applied the AFD in five patients with diabetic ulcers and investigated its safety and efficacy. As the primary endpoint, we defined 'wound bed improvement' according to the percentage of granulation area to the whole wound area on day 21, and 60% or higher was regarded as improved. The mean age of the patients was 60·6 years and the mean duration of the ulcer was 22·6 months. In the evaluation of the primary endpoint, the 'wound bed' was improved in all patients [proportion of improvement: 100%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 48% to 100%]. Three patients had complete wound healing within 12 weeks after application and two patients had >80% wound healing at 12 weeks. Side effects were not serious. Our AFD may be a safe and effective treatment of diabetic ulcers.

Serum albumin level is a limited nutritional marker for predicting wound healing in patients with pressure ulcer: two multicenter prospective cohort studies

BACKGROUND & AIMS

We aimed to investigate the predictive validity of serum albumin for pressure ulcer healing, according to patient condition and wound characteristics.

METHODS

This study was a secondary analysis of pooled data from two multicentre cohort studies undertaken in 2005 and 2007. All adult patients with pressure ulcer were included and were tracked until wound healing or discharge from care. Baseline serum albumin data were obtained from medical charts.

RESULTS

A total of 2530 patients were analyzed. By multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, higher serum albumin level was associated with wound healing of only superficial pressure ulcers for patients in acute/postoperative conditions (hazard ratio 1.29, 95% confidence interval 1.13-1.46) and the cutoff point was 24/25 g/L. However, the addition of serum albumin level to other factors resulted in little increase in the ability to predict wound healing as measured by the overall C-statistics. For patients in chronic/palliative conditions, serum albumin level as the continuous variable was not significantly associated with ulcer healing.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of serum albumin marker may not have much advantage to predict pressure ulcer healing although its level can be associated with ulcer healing, depending on patient condition and wound depth.

Concurrent validation and reliability of digital image analysis of granulation tissue color for clinical pressure ulcers

Granulation tissue color is one indicator for pressure ulcer (PU) assessment. However, it entails a subjective evaluation only, and quantitative methods have not been established. We developed color indicators from digital image analysis and investigated their concurrent validity and reliability for clinical PUs. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 47 patients with 55 full-thickness PUs. After color calibration, a wound photograph was converted into three images representing red color: erythema index (EI), modified erythema index with additional color calibration (granulation red index [GRI]), and , which represents the artificially created red-green axis of L(*) a(*) b(*) color space. The mean intensity of the granulation tissue region and the percentage of pixels exceeding the optimal cutoff intensity (% intensity) were calculated. Mean GRI (ρ=0.39, p=0.007) and (ρ=0.55, p<0.001), as well as their % intensity indicators, showed positive correlations with a(*) measured by tristimulus colorimeter, but erythema index did not. They were correlated with hydroxyproline concentration in wound fluid, healthy granulation tissue area, and blood hemoglobin level. Intra- and interrater reliability of the indicator calculation using both GRI and had an intraclass correlation coefficient >0.9. GRI and from digital image analysis can quantitatively evaluate granulation tissue color of clinical PUs.

Lower plasma arginine in enteral tube-fed patients with pressure ulcer and improved pressure ulcer healing after arginine supplementation by Arginaid Water

OBJECTIVES

To determine the presence or extent of arginine deficiency in pressure ulcer (PU) patients on percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding and to examine the effects of arginine supplementation on PU healing.

DESIGN

All eligible PEG patients, with and without PU, were cross-sectionally assessed for plasma arginine. Three-month supplementation with arginine-enriched water (Arginaid Water) was performed on a subset of patients with PU. This intervention study was a prospective, non-controlled trial with 5 PU patients.

SETTING

Geriatric ward of a rural clinical hospital in Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-nine inpatients with PEG feeding were assessed for plasma arginine. Five of the 13 patients with PU and five of 26 patients without PU underwent amino acid profiling.

INTERVENTION

Five of the patients with PU received Arginaid Water supplementation.

MEASUREMENTS

Plasma amino acid measurements and biochemical analyses were performed. For those with PU on Arginaid Water supplementation, plasma arginine concentration and PU status were monitored every month.

RESULTS

Patients with PU showed significantly lower plasma arginine concentration compared to those without PU (control vs. PU; 80.2±21.3 vs 62.8±14.7 nmol/ml, p<0.01). After the addition of Arginaid Water, plasma arginine concentration increased (before vs 3 months later; 57.9±1.8 vs 83.1±8.5, p<0.01), and PU area, perimeter, DESIGN-R and PUSH scores significantly improved.

CONCLUSION

Plasma arginine was lower in PEG patients with PU. The healing rate of PU is improved with Arginaid Water supplementation. The findings from this study support the use of arginine supplementation in PEG patients with PU.

Tetraparesis resembling acute transverse myelitis in a captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes): long-term care and recovery

BACKGROUND

A 24-year-old, male chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) developed acute tetraparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a diffuse T2-weighted hyperintensive lesion, indicating inflammation at the C1-2 level. All infective, autoimmune, and vascular investigations were unremarkable.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

The chimpanzee's condition most resembled acute transverse myelitis (ATM) in humans. The chimpanzee was in severe incapacitated neurological condition with bedridden status and required 24-hour attention for 2 months followed by special care for over a year. Initially, corticosteroid therapy was performed, and his neurological symptoms improved to some extent; however, the general condition of the chimpanzee deteriorated in the first 6 months after onset. Pressure ulcers had developed at various areas on the animal's body, as the bedridden status was protracted. Supportive therapy was continued, and the general condition, appetite, mobility, and pressure ulcers have slowly but synergistically recovered over the course of 2 years.

Enhanced assessment of the wound-healing process by accurate multiview tissue classification

With the widespread use of digital cameras, freehand wound imaging has become common practice in clinical settings. There is however still a demand for a practical tool for accurate wound healing assessment, combining dimensional measurements and tissue classification in a single user-friendly system. We achieved the first part of this objective by computing a 3-D model for wound measurements using uncalibrated vision techniques. We focus here on tissue classification from color and texture region descriptors computed after unsupervised segmentation. Due to perspective distortions, uncontrolled lighting conditions and view points, wound assessments vary significantly between patient examinations. The main contribution of this paper is to overcome this drawback with a multiview strategy for tissue classification, relying on a 3-D model onto which tissue labels are mapped and classification results merged. The experimental classification tests demonstrate that enhanced repeatability and robustness are obtained and that metric assessment is achieved through real area and volume measurements and wound outline extraction. This innovative tool is intended for use not only in therapeutic follow-up in hospitals but also for telemedicine purposes and clinical research, where repeatability and accuracy of wound assessment are critical.

Predicting delayed pressure ulcer healing using thermography: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether thermography can be used to detect latent inflammation in pressure ulcers and predict pressure ulcer prognosis in a clinical setting.

METHOD

For this cohort study, we recruited 35 patients with stage II-IV pressure ulcers on the torso, who underwent thermographic assessment on discovery of their pressure ulcer. The patients were followed up for at least 3 weeks. Thermography was performed immediately after dressing removal. Pressure ulcers were classified into two groups depending on whether or not the wound site temperature was lower or higher than the periwound skin: the low temperature group and the high temperature group respectively. A generalised estimation equation was used to estimate the relative risk of delayed healing of pressure ulcers, comparing wounds with high temperatures and low temperatures.

RESULTS

Of the 35 patients, 21 had 'low temperature' wounds and 14 had 'high temperature' wounds at baseline. Two patients in the high temperature group presented with overt infection, and were excluded from further analysis. Twenty-two pressure ulcers were considered to heal 'normally' (that is, the wound area reduced by 30% or more within 3 weeks) and 16 did not heal. The baseline DESIGN score (a measure of gross wound status) did not differ in any subscales between the high and low temperature groups. The relative risk for delayed healing in high temperature cases was 2.25 (95% confidence intervals; 1.13-4.47, p=0.021). Sensitivity was 0.56, specificity was 0.82, positive predictive value was 0.75, and negative predictive value was 0.67.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that using thermography to classify pressure ulcers according to temperature could be a useful predictor of healing at 3 weeks, even though wound appearances may not differ at the point of thermographical assessment. The higher temperature in the wound site, when compared with periwound skin, may imply the presence of critical colonisation, or other factors which disturb the wound healing.

Successful Intervention for Pressure Ulcer by Nutrition Support Team: A Case Report

A 23-year-old woman with heart failure developed pressure ulcer on her sacral area due to a long-term bed rest and impaired hemodynamics. The ulcer improved only slightly after 2 months with povidone-iodine sugar ointment because of severe nausea and anorexia. Then, the nutrition support team (NST) started intervention and estimated the patient's malnutrition from her body weight (30.1 kg), body mass index (BMI) (13.9), triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) (3.5 mm), arm circumference (AC) (17.2 cm) and serum albumin (2.6 g/dl). The NST administrated an enteral nutrition formula through a nasogastric tube and tried to provide meals according to the patient's taste. Although DESIGN score improved to 7 (DESIGN: d2e1s2i1g1n0 = 7) 2 months later, severe nausea prevented the patient from taking any food perorally. However, after nasogastric decannulation, her appetite improved and 1 month later her body weight increased to 32.8 kg, her BMI to 15.2, TSF to 7.5 mm, AC to 19.7 cm and serum albumin to 4.1 g/dl, and the wound completely healed.

Do nutritional markers in wound fluid reflect pressure ulcer status?

Evaluation of wound fluid characteristics for pressure ulcer (PU) assessment in clinical settings remains subjective, requiring considerable expertise. This cross-sectional study focused on nutritional markers in wound fluid as possible objective tools and investigated whether they reflect the PU status according to the healing phase, infection, and granulation, especially after adjusting for serum values. Twenty-eight patients with 32 full-thickness PUs were studied. The concentration of albumin, total protein, glucose, and zinc in wound fluid were measured. For PU status, the healing phases and infection were evaluated by clinical signs, and the degree of granulation tissue formation was determined as the hydroxyproline concentration. The wound fluid/serum ratio for albumin was significantly lower during the inflammatory phase than during the proliferative phase (p=0.020). Infected wound fluid contained less glucose (0.3-1.0 mmol/L) than noninfected ones did (5.0-7.6 mmol/L) in an intraindividual comparison of three cases. The wound fluid/serum ratio for glucose was negatively correlated with hydroxyproline level in the proliferative phase (rho=-0.73, p=0.007), while zinc level in wound fluid showed a positive correlation (rho=0.61, p=0.028). Our results suggest that these traditional nutritional markers in wound fluid, especially wound fluid/serum ratio may be useful to evaluate local PU status.