Therapeutic Effect of the Recombinant Human Epidermal Growth Factor (rhEGF) in Pressure Ulcer

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of the recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) on pressure ulcer treatment. METHOD: Eighteen patients who had stage 3 or 4 pressure ulcer were divided into two groups. For experimental group, we cleaned the wound with normal saline, applied 0.5 ml of EasyEF liquid(R) (rhEGF 0.5 mg/10 ml) and covered the wound with the humidified gauze 2 times a day. For control group, we cleaned with normal saline and covered with the medifoam for 2 times a day. We estimated the change of the size and the stage of the ulcer weekly for 4 weeks. The longest region of the wound was measured by the width, and the longest line perpendicular to the width was measured by the length. RESULTS: The width and length of the stage 3 ulcer of experimental group significantly decreased, while control group showed a slightly decreased. The experimental group showed significant improvement compared to the control group (p<0.05) in stage 3 ulcer. In stage 4 ulcer treatment, there were no significant differences between the two groups. In experimental group, 5 regions of the six stage 3 ulcer improved into the stage 2 ulcer during the study, even though only 1 region improved into the stage 2 ulcer in control group. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that rhEGF was effective in the stage 3 ulcer. rhEGF treatment may be useful for healing of the stage 3 ulcers.