Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of Exsikines (patent-pending) in the treatment of chronic wounds.
DESIGN: Subjects were treated with Exsikines every 3 to 5 days, wound healing parameters were monitored and compared with other published studies.
SETTING: A clinical practice.
PATIENTS: A total of 21 patients (22 chronic wounds each identified etiologically) were randomly selected for this study, based on presentation of Stage II or III wounds using the Wagner wound classification system1,2 of at least 6 weeks' duration. The average wound age in this study was 12.48 months with a median wound age of 3 months. To reflect clinical practice scenarios, no other criteria for inclusion were required. The study was initiated with 24 patients with 24 chronic wounds. Three patients were removed from the study for nonadherence of the therapeutic protocol of Exsikines application.
INTERVENTIONS: Baseline measurements were taken of all wounds, and time of persistence was noted. Exsikines, a patent-pending mixture of homologous-derived blood products containing human cytokines and other growth factors, was applied to the wounds at approximately 4-day intervals.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Wound measurements were taken intermittently. Healing times, healing rates, recurrence rates, cost of treatments, and other parameters were determined.
MAIN RESULTS: One hundred percent of the wounds were completely healed within an average of 53.5 days (median, 41.5 days). Recurrence monitoring after wound closure averaged 8.9 months. Recurrence in diabetic ulcers and pressure ulcers occurred at a rate of 7.14% and 16.67%, respectively. Wounds were documented by digital photography.
CONCLUSION: In comparison to standard wound care, as well as other wound care products, Exsikines offers a very efficacious method of treating chronic wounds.