Wound dressings: curbing inflammation in chronic wound healing

Abstract

Chronic wounds represent an economic burden to healthcare systems worldwide and a societal burden to patients, deeply impacting their quality of life. The incidence of recalcitrant wounds has been steadily increasing since the population more susceptible, the elderly and diabetic, are rapidly growing. Chronic wounds are characterised by a delayed wound healing process that takes longer to heal under standard of care than acute (i.e. healthy) wounds. Two of the most common problems associated with chronic wounds are inflammation and infection, with the latter usually exacerbating the former. With this in mind, researchers and wound care companies have developed and marketed a wide variety of wound dressings presenting different compositions but all aimed at promoting healing. This makes it harder for physicians to choose the correct therapy, especially given a lack of public quantitative data to support the manufacturers’ claims. This review aims at giving a brief introduction to the clinical need for chronic wound dressings, focusing on inflammation and evaluating how bio-derived and synthetic dressings may control excess inflammation and promote healing.

Ibuprofen-loaded electrospun poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) nanofibers for wound dressing applications

“…[1][2][3] However, in chronic wound healing, a prolonged inflammation phase disrupts the normal healing mechanism. 4,5 Such wounds are known to cause severe distress for the patient and be a significant financial burden for the healthcare system. 6 For this purpose, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), in particular ibuprofen (IBU), have emerged as a potential solution to reduce inflammation and relieve pain in chronic wound healing.…”

The Clinical Profile of Patients with Chronic Wounds at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital 2015-2020

“…Absorbent gauze is often chosen as the treatment for managing exudates. 22 Wound bed preparation is also in the form of bacterial control. The presence of bacteria in wounds can be categorized into the contamination, colonization, critical colonization, and infection.…”

Nrf2 Mediated Heme Oxygenase-1 Activation Contributes to Diabetic Wound Healing – an Overview

“…Inflammation occurs within 24 hours after injury and lasts up to 2 weeks and longer in the chronic wound [24]. Mast cells release his-tamine and active amines.…”