Keywords

periwound, skin protectant, venous ulcer

Authors

1. Hunter, Susan M. MSN, RN
2. Langemo, Diane PhD, RN, FAAN
3. Thompson, Patricia MS, RN
4. Hanson, Darlene MS, RN
5. Anderson, Julie PhD, RN
6. Oh, In Eui BSN, RN
7. Paulson, Rolf MD, FACP
8. Rustvang, Dan CWS, FNP
9. Dorman, Seth CWS, FNP
10. Roth, David L. PhD

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of 2 products on venous ulcer periwound skin.

DESIGN: This was a descriptive comparative study.

SETTING: An outpatient wound care clinic in a rural Midwestern area of the United States.

PARTICIPANTS: Participants included a retrospective group of 50 patients and a prospective group of 28 patients.

INTERVENTION: The intervention compared the experimental product (Remedy Nutrashield; Medline Industries, Mundelein, Illinois) versus Cavilon Moisturizing Lotion (3M, St Paul, Minnesota).

OUTCOME MEASURES: The mean outcome measures were a decrease in periwound and ulcer size.

MAIN RESULTS: For the periwound size, the estimated rates of change were as follows: 0.092 (SE, 0.021) cm/d and -0.026 (SE, 0.014) cm/d for products B and A groups, respectively. The decrease for the experimental group was significantly greater than the attenuated decrease for the retrospective cases (t₂₉₇ = -2.57, P = .01), and the decrease for product B group was also significantly different from zero (t₇₆ = -4.34, P < .0001). For the ulcer size model, the estimated rates of change were -0.272 (SE, 0.102) cm²/d and -0.130 (SE, 0.067) cm²/d for the experimental and retrospective groups, respectively. The rate for the experimental group was significantly less than zero (t₇₆ = -2.67, P = .009), but there was no significant difference between prospective and retrospective cases in the rates of reduction in ulcer size (t₃₀₈ = -1.16, P = .25).

CONCLUSION: The results of this study illustrate how the integrity of the periwound skin may be an important determinant in decreasing periwound and ulcer size.