Here - EWMA 2013

ORAL PRESENTATIONS
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Free Paper Session: Leg ulcers II
Quality of life in patients with lower limb ulceration – Skindex-29
questionnaire study
Arkadiusz Jawien 1 , Justyna cwajda-Bialasik 2 , Maria T. Szewczyk 2 , Paulina Moscicka 2
1 Collegium Medicum, University of Nicolai Copernicus, Department of Vascular Surgery
and Angiology (Bydgoszcz, Poland);
2 Collegium Medicum, University of Nicolai Copernicus, Department of Surgical Nursing
(Bydgoszcz, Poland).
Aim: Lower limb ulcerations considerably limit patients’ functional abilities and have a
negative effect on their quality of life (QoL).
Objective: (1) The aim of this study was to compare QoL of patients with lower limb
ulcerations of various etiology, and to identify sociodemographic and clinical conditions
that can modulate certain dimensions of QoL.
Methods: 298 patients with lower limb ulcerations, resulting from venous (n=101) or
arterial pathologies (n=98), or ulcerations of a mixed etiology (n=99) completed Polish
version of the Skindex-29 questionnaire for the quality of life assessment in patients with
dermatological conditions who were treated in Outpatients Department for Wound
Management.
Results: Patients with ulcerations of various etiology did not differ significantly in terms
of average level of the global QoL. The average QoL scoring in the emotional sphere
and the psychosocial functioning was also similar. However, the average level of QoL
related to physical symptoms and the values of particular items of Skindex-29 were
significantly higher in patients with venous ulcerations. Higher scores of pain, higher
education level, and higher area of the ulceration significantly reduced the global QoL. In
contrast, QoL was markedly improved by a greater self-assessment of mood and health
status, and in male patients.
Conclusion: The Skindex-29 questionnaire is useful for QoL assessment among the
patients with lower limb ulceration. The negative impact of physical symptoms on QoL is
more pronounced in patients with ulcers of arterial and mixed etiologies.
FREE PAPER SESSION: LEG ULCERS II
86
Free Paper Session: Leg ulcers II
SUPPORTIVE BIO-OCCLUSIVE ALGINATE DRESSING WITH MEDICAL CHESTNUT
HONEY IN TREATMENT OF INFECTED VENOUS ULCERS
Nada Kecelj Leskovec 1 , Sandra Marinović Kulišić 2 , Tanja Planinšek Ručigaj 1
1 Dermatovenerological Clinic, Clinical Centre Ljubljana (Ljubljana, Slovenia);
2 University Hospital Center Zagreb, Department of Dermatology and Venerology
(Zagreb, Croatia).
Aim: Clinical investigation on efficacy of alginate dressing with medical chestnut honey
has been carried out in the University Hospital Center Zagreb, Department of
Dermatology and Venereology, School of Medicine University of Zagreb and
Dermatovenerologic Clinic, Clinical Centre Ljubljana. The study comprised 34 patients
with a venous ulcer.
Method: Therapy with medical chestnut according to the wound status (wound type,
localization, wound size, wound appearance, wound leaking wound wetting, exudation
color, surrounding skin condition, pain) was implemented. Data about bacteria type
obtained from bioptat of the ulceration for microbiological management show a great
value in therapeutical approach. Smear of the ulceration alone shows no clinical
significance and has no use, therefore, it is necessary to investigate an isolate.
In our study following causing agents (causes) were isolated: Staphylococcus aureus,
methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Streptococcus pyogenes,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and gram-positive anaerobic cocci as well as gram-negative
bacteria of the family Enterobacteriacea.
Results: Alginate honey dressings in patients were changed every 2 to 3 days, with
evaluation of surroundings of wounds in sense of possible maceration and irritation of
skin. Infected wounds after 5-7 changes were cleaned and alginate honey dressings
epithelisation from granulated wound edge was prometed after 6 weeks.
Conclusions: Alginate honey dressings are very suitable for all types of chronic
wounds. Based on the results of the conducted clinical study we conclude that alignant
dressing with medical chestnut honey has antioxidative and antimicrobial activity to the
most common types of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in wounds, including
MRSA.
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