Skip to main content

Table 6 Summary of evidence for mixed complex wounds management

From: Seeking effective interventions to treat complex wounds: an overview of systematic reviews

Outcome

Intervention

Systematic reviews with MA

Systematic reviews without MA

High-quality*

Low/moderate quality

High-quality**

Low/moderate quality

Wound area/size reduction (MAs:5) [21,32,41,42]

Autologous platelet-rich plasma/platelet-rich plasma (topical)

–

–

NA

NA

Silver releasing dressings

+

NA

NA

NA

Topical negative pressure

NA

+

NA

NA

Ulcer healing (MA: 1 [63]; non-MAs: 5 [91,100,105,107,111])

Laser therapy

NA

–

NA

NA

Adhesive zinc oxide tape

NA

NA

+

NA

 

Dextranomer polysaccharide beads or paste, cadexomer iodine polysaccharide beads or paste

NA

NA

_

NA

 

Enzymatic agents (topical)

NA

NA

–

NA

 

Hydrogel dressings

NA

NA

–

NA

 

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

NA

NA

NA

+

 

No-sting barrier film bandages

NA

NA

NA

+

 

Silver releasing dressing, non-releasing silver-activated charcoal dressing, hydrocolloid silver Vaseline-impregnated dressing, silver coated dressing, hydrocolloid silver-releasing dressing, silver-releasing foam dressing

NA

NA

+

NA

 

Topical negative pressure (open-cell foam dressing with continuous suction)

NA

NA

+

NA

Proportion of patients with healed wounds (MAs: 10) [21,55,58,61,62,125]

Skin replacement (skin substitute) and standard care

NA

+

NA

NA

Skin replacement (dermal substitute) and standard care

NA

+

NA

NA

Artificial skin grafts and standard care

NA

+

NA

NA

 

Autologous platelet-rich plasma/platelet-rich plasma (topical)

NA

–

NA

NA

 

Hydrocolloid dressings

–

+

NA

NA

 

Laser therapy

–

NA

NA

NA

 

Ultrasound

+/−

NA

NA

NA

  1. *At least one systematic review with meta-analysis and AMSTAR score ≥8.
  2. **At least one systematic review without meta-analysis and AMSTAR score ≥8.
  3. + Effective (statistically significant difference between interventions and comparators); – No difference (no statistically significant difference between interventions and comparators); +/− Unknown (conflicting evidence between meta-analysis or indeterminate results); NA, No studies available); MA, Meta-analysis.