Human Wound and Its Burden: Updated 2020 Compendium of Estimates

Significance: Chronic wounds impact the quality of life (QoL) of nearly 2.5% of the total population in the United States and the management of wounds has a significant economic impact on health care. Given the aging population, the continued threat of diabetes and obesity worldwide, and the persistent problem of infection, it is expected that chronic wounds will continue to be a substantial clinical, social, and economic challenge. In 2020, the coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic dramatically disrupted health care worldwide, including wound care. A chronic nonhealing wound (CNHW) is typically correlated with comorbidities such as diabetes, vascular deficits, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. These risk factors make persons with CNHW at high risk for severe, sometimes lethal outcomes if infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (pathogen causing COVID-19). The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted several aspects of the wound care continuum, including compliance with wound care visits, prompting alternative approaches (use of telemedicine and creation of videos to help with wound dressing changes among others), and encouraging a do-it-yourself wound dressing protocol and use of homemade remedies/substitutions. Recent Advances: There is a developing interest in understanding how the social determinants of health impact the QoL and outcomes of wound care patients. Furthermore, addressing wound care in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of telemedicine options in the continuum of care. Future Directions: The economic, clinical, and social impact of wounds continues to rise and requires appropriate investment and a structured approach to wound care, education, and related research.

Is Reconstruction of Unstable Midfoot Charcot Neuroarthropathy Cost Effective from a US Payer's Perspective?

BACKGROUND

Charcot neuroarthropathy is a morbid and expensive complication of diabetes that can lead to lower extremity amputation. Current treatment of unstable midfoot deformity includes lifetime limb bracing, primary transtibial amputation, or surgical reconstruction of the deformity. In the absence of a widely adopted treatment algorithm, the decision to pursue more costly attempts at reconstruction in the United States continues to be driven by surgeon preference.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

To examine the cost effectiveness (defined by lifetime costs, quality-adjusted life-years [QALYs] and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio [ICER]) of surgical reconstruction and its alternatives (primary transtibial amputation and lifetime bracing) for adults with diabetes and unstable midfoot Charcot neuroarthropathy using previously published cost data.

METHODS

A Markov model was used to compare Charcot reconstruction and its alternatives in three progressively worsening clinical scenarios: no foot ulcer, uncomplicated (or uninfected) ulcer, and infected ulcer. Our base case scenario was a 50-year-old adult with diabetes and unstable midfoot deformity. Patients were placed into health states based on their disease stage. Transitions between health states occurred annually using probabilities estimated from the evidence obtained after systematic review. The time horizon was 50 cycles. Data regarding costs were obtained from a systematic review. Costs were converted to 2019 USD using the Consumer Price Index. The primary outcomes included the long-term costs and QALYs, which were combined to form ICERs. Willingness-to-pay was set at USD 100,000/QALY. Multiple sensitivity analyses and probabilistic analyses were performed to measure model uncertainty.

RESULTS

The most effective strategy for patients without foot ulcers was Charcot reconstruction, which resulted in an additional 1.63 QALYs gained and an ICER of USD 14,340 per QALY gained compared with lifetime bracing. Reconstruction was also the most effective strategy for patients with uninfected foot ulcers, resulting in an additional 1.04 QALYs gained, and an ICER of USD 26,220 per QALY gained compared with bracing. On the other hand, bracing was cost effective in all scenarios and was the only cost-effective strategy for patents with infected foot ulcers; it resulted in 6.32 QALYs gained and an ICER of USD 15,010 per QALY gained compared with transtibial amputation. As unstable midfoot Charcot neuroarthropathy progressed to deep infection, reconstruction lost its value (ICER USD 193,240 per QALY gained) compared with bracing. This was driven by the increasing costs associated with staged surgeries, combined with a higher frequency of complications and shorter patient life expectancies in the infected ulcer cohort. The findings in the no ulcer and uncomplicated ulcer cohorts were both unchanged after multiple sensitivity analyses; however, threshold effects were identified in the infected ulcer cohort during the sensitivity analysis. When the cost of surgery dropped below USD 40,000 or the frequency of postoperative complications dropped below 50%, surgical reconstruction became cost effective.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgeons aiming to offer both clinically effective and cost-effective care would do well to discuss surgical reconstruction early with patients who have unstable midfoot Charcot neuroarthropathy, and they should favor lifetime bracing only after deep infection develops. Future clinical studies should focus on methods of minimizing surgical complications and/or reducing operative costs in patients with infected foot ulcers.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, economic and decision analysis.

Economic evaluations considering costs and outcomes of diabetic foot ulcer infections: A systematic review

Background

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a severe complication of diabetes and particularly susceptible to infection. DFU infection intervention efficacy is declining due to antimicrobial resistance and a systematic review of economic evaluations considering their economic feasibility is timely and required.

Aim

To obtain and critically appraise all available full economic evaluations jointly considering costs and outcomes of infected DFUs.

Methods

A literature search was conducted across MedLine, CINAHL, Scopus and Cochrane Database seeking evaluations published from inception to 2019 using specific key concepts. Eligibility criteria were defined to guide study selection. Articles were identified by screening of titles and abstracts, followed by a full-text review before inclusion. We identified 352 papers that report economic analysis of the costs and outcomes of interventions aimed at diabetic foot ulcer infections. Key characteristics of eligible economic evaluations were extracted, and their quality assessed against the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) checklist.

Results

542 records were screened and 39 full-texts assessed for eligibility. A total of 19 papers were included in the final analysis. All studies except one identified cost-saving or cost-effective interventions. The evaluations included in the final analysis were so heterogeneous that comparison of them was not possible. All studies were of “excellent”, “very good” or “good” quality when assessed against the CHEERS checklist.

Conclusions

Consistent identification of cost-effective and cost-saving interventions may help to reduce the DFU healthcare burden. Future research should involve clinical implementation of interventions with parallel economic evaluation rather than model-based evaluations.

Cost-drivers of medical expenses in burn care management

BACKGROUND

Profound differences exist in the cost of burn care globally, thus we aim to investigate the affected factors and to delineate a strategy to improve the cost-effectiveness of burn management.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 66 patients suffering from acute burns was conducted from 2013 to 2015. The average age was 26.7 years old and TBSA was 42.1% (±25.9%). We compared the relationship between cost and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

The estimated cost of acute burn care with the following formula (10,000 TWD) = -19.80 + (2.67 × percentage of TBSA) + (124.29 × status of inhalation injury) + (147.63 × status of bacteremia) + (130.32 × status of respiratory tract infection).

CONCLUSION

The majority of the cost were associated with the use of antibiotics and burns care. Consequently, it is crucial to prevent nosocomial infection in order to promote healthcare quality and reduce in-hospital costs.

The Development and Content Validation of a Multidisciplinary, Evidence-based Wound Infection Prevention and Treatment Guideline

Acute and chronic wound infections create clinical, economic, and patient-centered challenges best met by multidisciplinary wound care teams providing consistent, valid, clinically relevant, safe, evidence-based management across settings. To develop an evidence-based wound infection guideline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases were searched from inception through August 1, 2017 using the terms (or synonyms) wound infection and risk factor, significant, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or surveillance. Studies on parasitic infections, in vitro studies, and non-English publications were excluded. The 19-member International Consolidated Wound Infection Guideline Task Force (ICWIG TF), hosted by the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC), reviewed publications/assessed levels of evidence, developed recommendations, and verified representation of all major recommendations from 27 multidisciplinary wound infection documents. Using a web-based survey, practitioners were invited to assess the clinical relevance and strength of each recommendation using standardized scores. Survey responses from 42 practitioners, including registered nurses (RNs), Wound Care Certified and advanced practice RNs, physical therapists, physicians, podiatrists, and scientists from 6 countries were returned to AAWC staff, tabulated in a spreadsheet, and analyzed for content validity. Respondents had a median of >15 years of military or civilian practice and managed an average of 15.9 ± 23 patients with infected wounds per week. Recommendations supported by strong evidence and/or content validated as relevant by at least 75% of respondents qualified for guideline inclusion. Most (159, 88.8%) of the 179 ICWIG recommendations met these criteria and were summarized as a checklist to harmonize team wound infection management across specialties and settings. Most of the 20 recommendations found not to be valid were related to the use of antibiotics and antiseptics. After final ICWIG TF review of best evidence supporting each recommendation, the guideline will be published on the AAWC website.

Case Report: Diabetic Foot Ulcer Infection Treated with Topical Compounded Medications

An adult diabetic male with three toes amputated on his right foot presented with an ulcer infection on his left foot, unresponsive to conventional antifungal oral medication for over two months. The ulcerated foot wound had a large impairment on the patient's quality of life, as determined by the Wound-QoL questionnaire. The compounding pharmacist recommended and the physician prescribed two topical compounded medicines, which were applied twice a day, free of charge at the compounding pharmacy. The foot ulcer infection was completely resolved following 13 days of treatment, with no longer any impairment on the patient's quality of life. This scientific case study highlights the value of pharmaceutical compounding in current therapeutics, the importance of the triad relationship, and the key role of the compounding pharmacist in diabetes care.

Endoscopic vein harvest in patients at high risk for leg wound complications: A cost-benefit analysis of an initial experience

BACKGROUND

A cost-benefit analysis of endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH) versus open vein harvest (OVH) was performed in patients at high risk for wound complications.

METHODS

Risk factors for leg wound infection were identified as age older than 75 years, being a woman, body mass index > 28, having diabetes, being a smoker, and diagnosis of peripheral vascular disease. Patients who had at least 2 of these risk factors were selected for a pilot use of EVH and were matched to patients undergoing OVH (n = 50 patients/group). Costs incurred included costs of dressings, additional hospital stay, and costs for attending our outpatient wound clinic (OWC), amongst others. For the EVH group, there was the additional cost of the kit (£650 per patient). Data were prospectively collected.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in the preoperative characteristics between the 2 groups. During in-hospital stay, 18% (9 out of 50) versus 32% (16 out of 50) (P = .08) of patients (EVH vs OVH, respectively) had minor leg-wound suppurations. Patients in the OVH group had longer hospital stay (P = .01). Attendance at the OWC for leg-wound issues was 4% (2 out of 50) versus 48% (24 out of 50), respectively (P < .01), costing a total of £2,758 for the EVH group compared with £78,036 for the OVH group (P < .01). This amounted to cost savings of £42,778 (including EVH kit costs) favoring EVH.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients at high-risk of leg wound complications, EVH was associated with significant cost-savings and less leg wound complications.

Diabetic foot infections: state-of-the-art

Foot infections are frequent and potentially devastating complications of diabetes. Unchecked, infection can progress contiguously to involve the deeper soft tissues and ultimately the bone. Foot ulcers in people with diabetes are most often the consequence of one or more of the following: peripheral sensory neuropathy, motor neuropathy and gait disorders, peripheral arterial insufficiency or immunological impairments. Infection develops in over half of foot ulcers and is the factor that most often leads to lower extremity amputation. These amputations are associated with substantial morbidity, reduced quality of life and major financial costs. Most infections can be successfully treated with optimal wound care, antibiotic therapy and surgical procedures. Employing evidence-based guidelines, multidisciplinary teams and institution-specific clinical pathways provides the best approach to guide clinicians through this multifaceted problem. All clinicians regularly seeing people with diabetes should have an understanding of how to prevent, diagnose and treat foot infections, which requires familiarity with the pathophysiology of the problem and the literature supporting currently recommended care.

[The application of topical negative pressure in the complex treatment of acute suppurative diseases of soft tissues]

Negative pressure wound treatment (NPWT) is one of the newest methods used in the treatment of wounds. It allows speeding up and optimizing the healing process and reducing the cost of treatment. Negative pressure stimulates proliferation of granulation tissue, provides a continuous evacuation of fluid and effectively cleans wound surface. The authors present to the reader the results of treatment of acute suppurative diseases of soft tissues with the method of topical negative pressure.

Reducing Risk in Emergency Department Wound Management

Although substantial dollar amounts are not involved, wound-care litigation constitutes a significant number of lawsuits to emergency medicine physicians, resulting in an increased drain on the physician's time and exposing the physician to all the psychosocial effects involved in the medicolegal process. The procedures outlined in this article-paying attention to wound-care principles, involving patients in the medical decision-making process, and ensuring appropriate medical follow-up-can, it is hoped, reduce the incidence of medical claims.

Quality and productive efficiency in simple laceration treatment

OBJECTIVES

The surgical management and outcome of outpatient care for patients with simple lacerations were compared across three institutions. We examined the variations in wound infection rate, total charge and medical resource use in terms of prophylactic antibiotic prescription, frequency of outpatient visits and required days for stitch removal.

DESIGN

Retrospective and consecutive chart review.

STUDY PARTICIPANTS

Patients receiving treatment for simple lacerations in the outpatient departments of three institutions in Japan between June 2000 and August 2001. OUTCOME MEASURES AND METHOD: The basic patient characteristics, treatment method for the laceration and incidence of wound infection were collected. Variations in the wound infection rate were examined across the institutions. We then examined the variations in the medical resource use and total charge for patients without wound infection among the institutions by multiple linear regression model.

RESULTS

A total of 479 patients were reviewed. The proportion of patients with blunt injury, patients with simple lacerations to the head or face, and those with underlying medical disease were significantly different among the three institutions. The wound infection rate did not significantly differ (1.9% in Institution A, 1.3% in B, 3.0% in C, P = 0.555). The medical resource use for patients without wound infection was significantly different and small in Institution A.

CONCLUSION

We identified variations in the resource use for completing wound care among three institutions, whereas the wound infection rate revealed no significant difference among the institutions. There existed some room for improvement in the productive efficiency of simple laceration treatment.

[Peculiarities of wound infections in severe burns]

Infections in patients with burns remain as a one of the main unsolved problems. The present work is based on the analysis of the data obtained from the 642 patients with burns (adults and children) during 2000-2005. The staphylococcus infection is still the leading. At the same time the percent of the gram-positive infection increased. The basic risks-factors that promote the development of the nosocomial infection in the case of burns were revealed. The antibacterial therapy in the severely burned patients has to be based on the individual peculiarities of an every patient. The more severe pathology the less possibility using the standard regimen. The short and ultra-short preventive antibiotic in the patients with severe burns are unacceptable. The "step-by-step", escalation-returnable tactics of antibiotics administration has justified itself.

Reference group choice and antibiotic resistance outcomes

Two types of cohort studies examining patients infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) were contrasted, using different reference groups. Cases were compared to uninfected patients and patients infected with the corresponding, susceptible organism. VRE and MRSA were associated with adverse outcomes. The effect was greater when uninfected control patients were used.

The evaluation of nosocomial infection during 1-year-period in the burn unit of a training hospital in Istanbul, Turkey

An analysis of the burned patients, admitted to our eight bed burn unit and treated between 1 January and 31 December 2000, was performed. Prevalence, etiologic agents, length of hospitalization, cost of treatment and mortality rates caused by nosocomial infections (NIs) were studied. The study included 63 patients. Eighteen of these (Group-A) had 24 NI episodes. The most common NI observed was burn-wound infection (58.3%), followed by bacteraemia-sepsis (16.7%). NIs were not detected in the rest at all (Group B). The mean length of hospitalization was 38.5+/-19.7 days in Group A, and 20.3+/-7.6 days in Group B. The mean total burned surface area (TBSA) was 43+/-21 in Group A and 29+/-18 in Group B, while the most important independent risk factor for NI was TBSA in burned patients (OR, 1.08; CI(95), 0.93-1.24). NI prolonged the mean hospital stay to 18 days and increased the cost of treatment by 502 US dollars. The most common bacteria isolated was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (41.7%) and the second was methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA-25.0%). All of the NI-free patients survived, while, five (28.5%) patients with NI died (P<0.01). These findings emphasized the need for careful disinfection and conscientious contact control procedures in areas that serve immunosupressed individuals, such as burned patients.

Expanding harm reduction services through a wound and abscess clinic

A wound and abscess clinic, held concurrently with a syringe exchange, provided economical treatment and aftercare for injection-associated soft tissue infections. During 20 two-hour clinic sessions, 173 treatment episodes were logged, and the visit cost was estimated at $5 per patient. Increased patient-clinician interactions provided opportunities beyond those afforded by the syringe exchange for patients to obtain resources and referrals to services such as HIV counseling and testing, medical care, and drug treatment. Distribution of cards advertising the clinic was substantially less effective than word of mouth in increasing community awareness of the clinic.

[Infected animal bite injuries of the extremities]

The appearance of animal bite injuries varies in regard to location and extent. Injuries with puncture wounds involving the extremities carry great risk of infection. Managing the complications often requires substantial medical treatment and increased costs. The aim of this study is the evaluation of the course of disease, medical care, and treatment costs in patients with infected bite injuries. In the year 2000, 16 patients were treated for infection after bite injuries of the extremities. Fourteen patients received substandard therapy because of incorrect assessment of the extent of the bite wound. Because of infection, the average time needed for treatment before returning to work was 3 months, including 12 days of hospitalization and 16 days of out-patient treatment. The average treatment costs exceeded 6,100 Euro for the health insurance companies. Because of its increasing prevalence and inadequate treatment, this type of injury has become a serious public health problem.

[Treatment costs in initially underestimated infections of the hand]

Summary. Infections that develop as a complication of minor injuries to the hand, frequently are underestimated by the patient or by the physician initially consulted. Between 1990 and 2000, we have treated 172 in-patients as a result of this underestimation. In a retrospective study we have tried to evaluate the economic consequences. According to our results, treatment costs of 210,000 D-Mark could have been saved, if adequate treatment had been initiated on time.

Cost effectiveness in leg ulcer management in the community

Wound care and leg ulcer management account for the largest part of district nurses' workload. This has major implications on prescribing budgets of primary care groups (PCGs). Ineffective care results in an expensive waste of financial resources and poor quality care for the patients involved. Two case studies of patients with venous leg ulcers are used as an example of how practice can vary within one PCG. Continuing support and training is needed for all community nurses to enable them to meet national and local standards and guidelines.

A proactive approach to wound infection

The management and treatment of infection is a complex and important area in tissue viability nursing. Andrew Kingsley discusses the value of microbiology to clinical practice and the importance of adopting a proactive approach to the management of infected wounds using an infection continuum and algorithm to help promote effective care.

A cost-benefit analysis of initial burn cultures in the management of acute burns

It is common practice to obtain cultures in the first 24 hours after burn injuries. However, little evidence exists that these tests change clinical practice or clinical outcome. We conducted a retrospective chart review to determine how often the results of wound and other cultures lead to changes in the clinical treatment of patients. A total of 598 charts were reviewed. Four hundred forty-seven patients had a length of stay in the hospital of 1 day or less and were primarily treated in the emergency department and then discharged from the hospital. Wound cultures were obtained for 42 (10%) of these patients. Thirty cultures (71%) had no significant growth. Twelve cultures (29%) grew mixed common skin flora. No patients in this group were "pan-cultured." No patients in this group required antibiotic treatment on the basis of culture results. A total of 151 patients were admitted to the burn center, with an average length of stay of 3.9 days (range, 2-125 days). In this group, 45 patients (30%) had wound cultures and 24 patients (16%) were pan-cultured in the first 24 hours after admission to the hospital. Enterococcus species grew in the initial wound culture of 1 patient, and the patient was treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics were not ordered for any other patients on the basis of cultures. The collection of routine cultures during the first 24 hours after admission to the hospital is not cost-effective and rarely alters or provides therapeutic direction. An estimated $14,000 per year decrease in charges could be achieved by the elimination of cultures taken during the first 24 hours of admission to the hospital.

Bacteriology of burn wounds in Enugu, Nigeria

A retrospective study of bacterial infection in 71 burned patients over a 5-year period (1993-1997) was carried out. The commonest colonizing organism was Klebsiella species (26.7%) followed by Staph aureus (25.6%). There was a very high degree of resistance by these organisms to commonly available antibiotics in Nigeria, with the result that more expensive antibiotics such as the cephalosporins were required. The poor socioeconomic condition of most of the patients was a very important pre-disposing factor to burn wound infection, as only 25% of patients were able to afford the cost of wound microscopy and culture, thus leading to limited numbers of cultures being performed, the result being their prescription of antibiotics was made generally on an empirical basis. Restriction in the misuse of antibiotics and establishment of an infection control until will help to lower the incidence of infection.

Solving stubborn-wound problem could save millions, team says

Why do some wounds refuse to heal? A team in London, Ont., is attempting to determine the cellular and molecular clues that could lead to better treatment of recalcitrant wounds.

Infection and the impact on cost effectiveness in wound care

The financial impact of infections in treating persons with traumatic injuries at a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, are described. Principals of the management of infected wounds are reviewed. Factors that influence the choice of reconstructive options are given. The cost of using various dressings, particularly occlusive dressings, in the management of infected wounds is explored. This real problem in the wound care discipline commands due respect, and the literature is testimony to this. Central to the management of this potential complication in surgery is the oft-cited question of which prophylactic antibiotic to administer. The issue is so important in fields such as cardiothoracic surgery, hip joint replacement, and intracranial surgery, that the thought of not administering prophylactic antibiotics is not entertained.

[Diagnostic value and therapeutic consequences of computerized tomography (patient outcome research)--1: Diagnosis in traumatology]

During three months of 1993, 201 primary traumatologic patients (125 m, 76 f, x = 42.6 years) underwent 230 computed tomography examinations (= one CT of one body region) in the radiologic department of the Rudolf Virchow University Hospital. 87.0% of the CT's were performed completely without contrast media, 2.6% exclusively supported by intravenously given contrast media, 9.1% in both ways, and 1.3% after intra-articular contrast media administration. 97.4% served for primary diagnostic purposes and 2.6% for the control of therapeutic results. In 47.8% of the CT's, the principle diagnosis in the scanned body region was known before CT, i.e. by conventional X-ray examinations, but further detailed information was necessary to clarify the indication for operation and to choose the operative mode. In 52.2%, the diagnosis without CT was impossible by other, non-invasive and not more expensive methods. The CT diagnoses were correctly positive in 58.7% (suspected diagnosis verified, additional detail information...) and correctly negative in 41.3% (suspected diagnosis excluded). 60.9% of CT's demonstrated a missing indication for operation in the examined body region; in 39.1% the operation followed. The most frequently performed diagnostic methods before CT were conventional X-ray and sonography, whereas after CT further examinations were seldom needed. We conclude that traumatologic CT's contribute decisively to the reduction of costs by avoiding more expensive examination methods, avoiding redundant operations, and abridging stay duration in the hospital because of more efficient therapy planning.

A combative healer with no ill-effect. Iodosorb in the treatment of infected wounds

Infected wounds require an antiseptic agent which does not inhibit the healing process. In this trial, Iodosorb ointment and powder succeeded in combining these two qualities.