BACKGROUND Venous ulcer represents the most advanced stage of chronic venous insufficiency. It is an important public health problem and has a significant impact on patients' quality of life due… Click to show full abstract
BACKGROUND Venous ulcer represents the most advanced stage of chronic venous insufficiency. It is an important public health problem and has a significant impact on patients' quality of life due to chronic pain, inability to work, need for hospitalization and frequent outpatient follow-up. OBJECTIVE We investigated the treatment benefits of far-infrared ceramic (cFIR), in a 90-day study of lower limb venous ulcers and looked at ulcer healing scores, quality of life, serum bio-markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense enzymes. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS This is a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study conducted in the Vascular Surgery Service of a hospital located in the northwest region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. We included patients with lower limb venous ulcers who were randomized to use either a bioceramics wrap or a placebo wrap for 90 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The following evaluations were conducted at baseline and after 15, 30, 60 and 90 days: ulcer healing score, quality of life, and serum markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity. RESULTS Patients (n = 24) with lower limb venous ulcers were randomized into two treatment groups. cFIR decreased the ulcer size on day 30 (P = 0.042) and 90 (P = 0.034) and the total ulcer healing scale scores on day 30 (P = 0.049) and 90 (P = 0.02) of the treatment, when compared to baseline. Additionally, cFIR improved tissue type (epithelial tissue) on day 60 (P = 0.022) when compared to baseline evaluation. CONCLUSION cFIR clinically improved ulcer healing in patients with lower limb venous ulcers. TRIAL REGISTRATION RBR-8c7xzn on ReBEC.
               
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