Publications by authors named "J K Stechmiller"
The presence of microbial biofilms in many human chronic wounds led to the hypothesis that biofilms delay healing of these wounds. We tested this hypothesis in a population of 117 older individuals with venous leg ulcers who were receiving standardised therapy, including frequent debridement. Debridement specimens were analysed for the amount of bacterial biomass by two independent methods: a microscopic approach that scored the relative size and number of bacterial aggregates, interpreted as a biofilm metric, and conventional enumeration by agar plating for viable bacteria.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic venous leg ulcers (CVLUs) comprise the majority of lower-extremity wounds, yet their pathophysiology is not fully understood. While research has shown that microRNAs are an important component of wound inflammation, few have explored the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the healing of CVLUs. This scoping review examines miRNAs in CVLUs and the association with wound healing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAssociation of Tryptophan/Kynurenine Metabolites with Healing in Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers.
Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle)
October 2024
Chronic wound healing is a complex process that is still not well understood. The tryptophan (TRP)-l-kynurenine (KYN) pathway has recently been under increased scrutiny with regard to wound healing. The study applied metabolomics to elucidate the TRP-l-KYN pathway associated with wound healing in chronic venous leg ulcers (CVLUs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- This study aimed to analyze wound-related factors (like biofilm and bacteria), symptoms (such as pain and swelling), and systemic inflammation (specifically serum CRP levels) in older patients with chronic venous leg ulcers over an 8-week treatment period.
- A total of 117 participants received standardized care, and data were collected bi-weekly to evaluate the relationships among these factors using a Bayesian statistical approach.
- Results indicated a strong link between biofilm presence and total bacteria, as well as moderate connections between biofilm and inflammation (CRP levels) and symptoms (like pain and exudate), emphasizing the need to assess and manage both wound-related factors and systemic inflammation for effective treatment.
Article Synopsis
- * This study collected data from 84 older adults with CVLUs over 8 weeks to investigate the relationship between symptoms of sleep and fatigue and inflammatory biomarkers (TNF-α, CRP, IL-6).
- * Results showed consistent poor sleep quality and mild fatigue, with specific inflammatory markers correlating to these symptoms, emphasizing the need for clinicians to address sleep and fatigue in CVLU treatment and further research for clarity on inflammatory biomarkers.