Do Functional Keratin Dressings Accelerate Epithelialization in Human Partial Thickness Wounds? A Randomized Controlled Trial on Skin Graft Donor Sites

OBJECTIVE To determine if the experimental (keratin-based) dressing accelerates epithelialization rates during healing of partial-thickness wounds, relative to a Standard Care dressing. METHOD A randomized control trial was conducted using a Standard Care dressing side by side with the experimental dressing on a sample (n=26) of partial-thickness donor site wounds. The proximal/distal placement of the control and treatment was randomized. Percentage epithelialization after approximately 7 days was estimated from which time to fully epithelialize can be inferred. Patients were grouped into "young" (≤50 y/o) and "old" (>50 y/o). RESULTS For the "old" patients (n=15), the median epithelialization percentage at 7 days is 5% and was significantly (P=.023) greater for the experimental dressing. For the "young" patients (n=11), the median epithelialization percentage at 7 days was 80% and there is no significant difference between the experimental and Standard Care control dressings. CONCLUSIONS The experimental dressing significantly increases the rate of epithelialization of acute, traumatic partial-thickness wounds in older patients. We suggest that the dressing may be clinically useful in similar situations where epithelialization may be delayed because of patient or wound characteristics.