Baseline data included sex, age, primary or recurrent ulceration, ulcer duration, ulcer area, ulcer diameter, appearance of wound bed, ulcer infection, ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI), ankle circumference, ankle mobility, patient mobility, and history of comorbidities such as deep vein thrombosis.
For more than half (55%), this was their first episode of ulceration and the median ulcer duration at baseline was nearly 12 weeks.
Findings from our meta analysis are consistent with those from prognostic studies in suggesting that baseline ulcer area, ulcer duration, and recurrent ulceration are independent predictors of time to healing.
We re-ran the analysis on a subset of four trials (747 patients, 83/747 dropped) for which additional covariates were available: primary or recurrent ulceration and patients' mobility.w1 w4 w5 w6 The final model contained bandage type, ulcer area, ulcer duration, and primary or recurrent ulceration.
We found no significant interactions between bandage and baseline ulcer area, bandage and baseline ulcer duration, and bandage and primary or recurrent ulceration.
The patient and treatment groups were equivalent for ulcer size, ulcer duration and other characteristics.
We found no significant interactions between bandage and baseline ulcer area and bandage and ulcer duration.
The final model contained type of bandage, ulcer duration, and ulcer area (table 3).
The median ulcer duration was 10 months and the median ulcer area was 3 cm.
We categorised baseline ulcer duration into ≤1month, >1-6 months, >6-12 months, and >12 months.
The median ulcer duration on admission to the study was 22 weeks (range 2 728 weeks).
