A cost and clinical effectiveness analysis among moist wound healing dressings versus traditional methods in home care patients with pressure ulcers

The aim of the study was a cost and clinical effectiveness analysis between moist wound healing dressings and gauze in a homecare set up for the treatment of stage III and IV pressure ulcers up to complete healing. In addition, we assessed the overall economic burden on the Healthcare System. Treatment method for each patient was chosen randomly by using sealed opaque envelopes. The authors monitored the healing progress and recorded treatment costs without interfering with the treatment process. The healing progress was estimated by using surface measurement transparent films. To estimate treatment costs, the authors took into account labor costs, cost of dressings, as well the cost of other materials such as cleansing gauzes, normal saline, syringes, examination gloves, antiseptics and adhesive tape. The patient group under treatment with moist wound healing dressings consisted of 27 men and 20 women aged 75.1 +/- 8,6 and had an average ulcer surface of 43.5 +/- 30.70 cm(2); the patient group under treatment with gauze comprised 25 men and 23 women aged 77.02 +/- 8.02 and had an average ulcer surface 41.52 +/- 29.41 cm(2) (p=0.25, 95% CI, Student's t test). The average healing time for the moist wound healing dressings group' was 85.56 +/- 52.09 days, while 121.4 +/- 52.21 days for the gauze group (p=0.0001, 95% CI, Student's t test). The dressing change frequency per patient was reduced in the moist wound healing dressings group, 49.5 +/- 29.61, compared with a dressing change frequency per patient of 222.6 +/- 101.86 for the gauze group (p=0.0001, 95% CI, Student's t test). The use of moist wound healing dressings had a lower total treatment cost of 1,351 Euro per patient compared with, the use of gauzes (3,888 Euro).