Outcome Measures for the Evaluation of Treatment Response in Hidradenitis Suppurativa for Clinical Practice: A HiSTORIC Consensus Statement.

Importance: Although several clinician- and patient-reported outcome measures have been developed for trials in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), there is currently no consensus on which measures are best suited for use in clinical practice. Identifying validated and feasible measures applicable to the practice setting has the potential to optimize treatment strategies and generate generalizable evidence that may inform treatment guidelines.

Objective: To establish consensus on a core set of clinician- and patient-reported outcome measures recommended for use in clinical practice and to establish the appropriate interval within which these measures should be applied.

Neutrophilic Dermatoses in a Clinical Practice of Wound Care Professionals.

Diagnosing and treating neutrophilic dermatoses (NDs) in clinical practice can be challenging because of various presentations and stubborn treatment responses. Establishing a diagnosis is necessary, though, because many NDs are associated with underlying conditions, including malignancy. In this article, the authors provide information about Sweet syndrome, pyoderma gangrenosum, and other NDs and describe their clinical presentation, pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria, and associated conditions.

Use of an advanced collagen matrix dressing on patients with complex chronic lower extremity ulcers: A case series.

The objective of this case series was to assess the wound healing effectiveness of a collagen matrix wound dressing containing partially denatured collagen, carboxymethyl cellulose, alginate and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid in chronic lower extremity ulcers. A total of nine patients with refractory lower extremity ulcers were treated with the collagen contact layer in addition to standard of care. Wound healing progress was measured at 2, 4 and 8 weeks.

Evaluation of Longitudinal and Tubular Compression Treatment for Lower Limb Edema.

Background: Many patients with lower limb edema do not tolerate traditional higher-pressure compression devices and require alternative devices for edema control.

Methods: Two systems were evaluated for control of bilateral or unilateral lower limb edema: an elasticized longitudinal stockinette (ELS; EdemaWear; Compression Dynamics, Omaha, Nebraska) and an elasticized tubular bandage (ETB; Tubigrip; Mölnlycke Health Care, Norcross, Georgia). Twenty-five patients were recruited; patients with bilateral edema (n = 12) wore the ELS on one limb, and the ETB on the other.

Evaluating a Surfactant-Containing Polymeric Membrane Foam Wound Dressing with Glycerin in Patients with Chronic Pilonidal Sinus Disease.

General Purpose: To present an evaluation of a surfactant-containing polymeric membrane foam wound dressing for use on patients with chronic pilonidal sinus disease.

Target Audience: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.

Learning Objectives/outcomes: After completing this continuing education activity, you should be able to:1.

Validation of the Healthy Foot Screen: A Novel Assessment Tool for Common Clinical Abnormalities.

General Purpose: The purpose of this learning activity is to provide information about the Healthy Foot Screen, a new tool for assessment of common foot abnormalities.

Target Audience: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.

Learning Objectives/outcomes: After completing this continuing education activity, you should be able to:1.

Infrared Skin Thermometry: Validating and Comparing Techniques to Detect Periwound Skin Infection.

Objective: Diagnosis of wound infection can be challenging because it relies on a combination of clinical signs and symptoms that are often nonspecific. Increased periwound cutaneous temperature is a classic sign of deep and surrounding wound infection, and its quantitative measurement is one of the most reliable and valid clinical signs of deep and surrounding skin infection at the bedside. Skin surface temperature differences may be detected using commercially available noncontact infrared thermometers.

Clinical Features and Patient Outcomes of Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study.

Background: Despite the high burden of disease associated with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), epidemiologic data are scarce.

Objective: The objective was to review demographic features and clinical findings in 80 HS patients from 2 referral centres in Ontario, Canada, from October 2013 to September 2014, and to assess for factors that are associated with more advanced disease.

Methods: Multicentre cross-sectional study.

Validation of commercially available infrared thermometers for measuring skin surface temperature associated with deep and surrounding wound infection.

Objective: Increased local skin temperature is a classic sign of wound infection, repetitive trauma, and deep inflammation. Noncontact infrared thermometers can help to detect increases in skin surface temperatures; however, most scientifically tested devices are far too expensive for everyday wound care providers to use in routine clinical practice. This noninferiority study was conducted in an attempt to determine whether 4 less expensive, commercially available noncontact infrared thermometers have a similar level of accuracy as the scientifically accepted Exergen DermaTemp 1001 (Exergen Products, Watertown, Massachusetts).

Case series of lower-extremity chronic wounds managed with an antibacterial foam dressing bound with gentian violet and methylene blue.

Objective: To evaluate an antibacterial dressing for the management of lower-extremity chronic wounds with critical colonization.

Design: A case series of n = 15 patients with lower-extremity chronic wounds were treated with an antibacterial foam dressing consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) foam bound with gentian violet and methylene blue (Hydrofera Blue; Hydrofera, LLC, Willimantic, Connecticut).

Setting: An outpatient clinic in Ontario, Canada.

Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma as an unusual cause of refractive chronic bilateral leg ulceration.

Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma is a progressive histiocytic granulomatous disease with frequent extracutaneous involvement. We have documented an unusual case of necrobiotic xanthogranuloma in a 58-year-old man with a history of recalcitrant and chronic arm and leg ulcerations in the absence of characteristic periorbital involvement. Our patient demonstrates a therapeutic challenge and may display a new necrobiotic inflammatory disorder not previously characterized.

Continuous topical oxygen for the treatment of chronic wounds: a pilot study.

Oxygen is essential for all stages of wound healing. Previous research has shown topical administration of oxygen to have positive effects on wound healing. In this study, the application of transdermal continuous topical oxygen therapy (TCOT) was evaluated for its effect on chronic wound healing in 9 patients.

A randomized controlled trial to evaluate an antimicrobial dressing with silver alginate powder for the management of chronic wounds exhibiting signs of critical colonization.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate if a topical silver dressing that consists of silver alginate powder is effective in managing chronic wounds that exhibit signs of critical colonization and promoting wound healing.

Method: This was a prospective, open-label, 4-week randomized controlled trial. The primary end points of the study were changes in signs associated with critical colonization and in wound surface areas.

Role of a point-of-care protease activity diagnostic test in Canadian clinical practice: a Canadian expert consensus ©.

Nonhealing wounds (stalled, healable) challenge affected individuals, wound clinicians, and society. Nonhealing may result despite local factors being corrected. The interplay between tissue degradation, increased inflammatory response, and abundant protease activity is a challenging quandary.

A consensus approach to wound care in epidermolysis bullosa.

Background: Wound care is the cornerstone of treatment for patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB); however, there are currently no guidelines to help practitioners care for these patients.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to generate a list of recommendations that will enable practitioners to better care for patients with EB.

Methods: An expert panel generated a list of recommendations based on the best evidence available.

Beds: practical pressure management for surfaces/mattresses.

The prevention and management of pressure ulcers, including support surface selection, are a primary focus of healthcare providers. This article discusses the forces contributing to pressure ulcer formation and explores choosing therapeutic support surface features based on the patient's clinical needs and on using the evidence-informed support surface algorithm and decision trees.

Reduction of bacterial burden and pain in chronic wounds using a new polyhexamethylene biguanide antimicrobial foam dressing-clinical trial results.

Objective: A randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) foam dressing compared with a similar non-antimicrobial foam for the treatment of superficial bacterial burden, wound-associated pain, and reduction in wound size.

Setting And Participants: This study was conducted in 2 wound healing clinics-a university hospital-based clinic and a community-based clinic. Forty-five chronic wound subjects, stratified to either foot or leg ulcers, were followed for 5 weeks.

A randomized crossover investigation of pain at dressing change comparing 2 foam dressings.

Introduction: Pain at dressing change is the result of several factors including trauma and skin stripping caused by the repeated removal of adhesive dressings.

Goals: To evaluate pain during dressing changes comparing a soft silicone foam dressing (Mepilex Border; Mölnlycke Health Care AB, Gothenburg, Sweden) with an adhesive hydrocellular polyurethane foam dressing (Allevyn Adhesive; Smith & Nephew, Hull, United Kingdom).

Methods: In this randomized crossover study, subjects were randomized to 1 of the 2 foam dressings for the first 2 scheduled follow-up visits.

Peristomal skin complications and management.

Purpose: : To provide the wound care practitioner with an overview of practical approaches to prevent and treat common peristomal skin conditions.

Target Audience: : This continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.

Objectives: : After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to:

Treating patients with painful chronic wounds.

Painful chronic wounds have long been treated with dressings that provide moist wound healing. This moist environment, through limiting the exposure of nerve ends, ensures some pain relief. A foam dressing presents a new option for nurses treating chronic painful wounds.

Bacteriology, inflammation, and healing: a study of nanocrystalline silver dressings in chronic venous leg ulcers.

Background: Healing of venous leg ulcers (VLUs) is often stalled despite compression therapy. Increased bacterial burden and chronic inflammation are 2 factors that may prevent these chronic VLUs (CVLUs) from healing. There is evidence that nanocrystalline silver dressings may reduce bacterial levels, decrease the chronic inflammatory response, and thus promote wound healing.

A pilot (real-life) randomised clinical evaluation of a pain-relieving foam dressing: (ibuprofen-foam versus local best practice).

The aim of the study was to evaluate a novel foam dressing with continuous low-level release of ibuprofen (Biatain-Ibu foam dressing, Coloplast A/S, Humlebaek, Denmark) in persons with leg ulcers compared to local best practice. An open comparative and prospective block-randomised study of 24 patients was conducted in a Canadian wound clinic. Twelve patients were randomised to ibuprofen-foam and 12 patients to local best practice.