<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
WEDNESDAY, June 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Use of a negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for severe open fracture of the lower limb is not associated with improved self-rated disability at 12 months, compared with standard wound dressing, according to a study published in the June 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Matthew L. Costa, Ph.D., from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom, and colleagues recruited patients aged 16 years or older with a severe open fracture of the lower limb. Participants were randomized to receive NPWT (226 patients) or standard dressings not involving application of negative pressure (234 patients).<\/p>\n
The researchers observed no statistically significant between-group differences in the patients’ Disability Rating Index score at 12 months (mean score, 45.5 and 42.4 in the NPWT and standard dressing groups, respectively; mean difference, \u22123.9; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], \u22128.9 to 1.2; P = 0.13); in terms of the number of deep surgical site infections (7.1 and 8.1 percent, respectively; difference, 1.0 percent; 95 percent CI, \u22124.2 to 6.3 percent; P = 0.64); or in quality of life as measured by the difference in EuroQoL 5-dimensions questionnaire (0.02; 95 percent CI, \u22120.05 to 0.08). There were also no statistically significant differences noted in the Short Form-12 Physical Component Score (0.5; 95 percent CI, \u22123.1 to 4.1) and the Short Form-12 Mental Health Component Score (\u22120.4; 95 percent CI, \u22122.2 to 1.4).<\/p>\n
“The findings do not support this treatment for severe open fractures,” the authors write.<\/p>\n