4 layer elastic bandages were more cost effective than multilayer inelastic bandages for healing venous leg ulcers
Q Are multilayer short stretch bandages (SSBs) more cost effective than 4 layer bandages (4LBs) for healing venous leg ulcers?
METHODS
Design:
randomised controlled trial.
Allocation:
concealed.
Blinding:
unblinded.
Follow up period:
mean duration of 193 days.
Setting:
9 centres in the UK. The centres provided several different models of leg ulcer service, including community and district nurse led services, community leg ulcer clinics, and hospital leg ulcer clinics with community outreach.
Patients:
387 patients ⩾18 years of age (mean age 72 years, 59% women) who had an ankle brachial pressure index ⩾0.8 and venous leg ulcers for ⩾1 week that were ⩾1 cm in length or width. Patients with diabetes were excluded.
Intervention:
SSBs providing multilayered, inelastic compression (n = 192) or 4LBs providing multilayered, elastic compression (n = 195). The SSB system comprised a first layer of orthopaedic wool and then upper layers of cotton SSBs. …
