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Review: evidence for use of systemic antibiotics and topical antiseptics for venous leg ulcers is insufficient

S O’Meara

Ms S O’Meara, University of York, York, UK; smo4@york.ac.uk

QUESTION
Are systemic antibiotics and topical antibiotics and antiseptics effective for treatment of venous leg ulcers?

REVIEW SCOPE
Studies selected compared systemic antibiotics or topical antibiotics or antiseptics with placebo, no treatment, usual care, another antibiotic or antiseptic, or another treatment in patients with venous leg ulcers. Studies involving topical silver-based preparations or honey were excluded. Outcomes were objective measures of wound healing (time to healing, proportion of ulcers completely healed, change in ulcer size, or healing rate).

REVIEW METHODS
Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register, Medline, CINAHL, and EMBASE/Excerpta Medica (to Oct 2007); Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 4, 2007); and reference lists were searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs). 22 RCTs met the selection criteria; treatments assessed were systemic antibiotics (5 RCTs, n = 232), cadexomer iodine (10 RCTs, n = 645), povidone iodine (2 RCTs, n = 300), peroxides (3 . . . [Full text of this article]

Julie Betts

Waikato District Health Board, Hamilton, New Zealand