Proteases and chronic leg ulcers.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of cadexomer on reducing wound surface area of leg ulcers compared to that obtained in a group patients whose ulcers were treated by compression therapy.

Methods: For each ulcer group, wound surface area was calculated at day 0 and after 28 days of treatment: this allowed to calculate the average wound surface area reduction, the percent reduction in wound size, as well as the weekly wound size reduction index.

Results: In the cadexomer-treated ulcers the total wound area reduction was 9.67 cm(2)/week, with a weekly wound size reduction index per patient of 0.96 cm(2); in the controls (compression therapy-treated patients) the total wound area reduction was 6.11 cm(2)/week, with a weekly reduction index per patient of 0.61 cm(2). At the end of treatment, in the group of patients whose ulcers were treated with cadexomer ointment the average wound size reduction was 43%, whereas in the control-treated patient group the average wound size reduction was 28%.

Conclusion: These data suggest that cadexomer can play an important role in the healing of chronic leg ulcers.