Biomarkers of wound healing
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Biomarkers of healing in lower limb wounds
IRAS ID
263637
Contact name
David Russell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers are the commonest chronic wounds seen in the NHS, with an incidence of >700,000, accounting for up to 40% of all wound care and costing over £2.3 billion annually. Healing rates for these chronic wounds are low. Timely identification of wounds that will fail to heal with standard care would allow targeted use of more expensive adjuvant therapy and would be cost effective in this patient cohort.
DFUs and VLUs are forms of chronic wounds and there being wounds that fail to progress through the normal phases of wound healing and become locked in chronic inflammatory state. Almost all wounds are known to have bacteria within and this is termed colonisation that can progress to critical colonisation where they either become infected or fail to heal.
Biomarkers are attributes that can be measured in the body to provide us with information such the presence or absence of a disease, progress of a disease or the response to treatment. Previous studies measuring certain biomarkers in DFU’s showed abnormal levels and some association with hard-to-heal wounds.
This study aims to validate swabs and paper point against punch biopsy in DFUs and Acuacel dressings in VLUs as methods to collect wound fluid for biomarker assessment and identify the optimum method in patients with DFUs and VLUs. We also aim to use a handheld device camera Moleculight i:X™ to assess DFUs whilst simultaneously measuring biomarkers to and assess the effect this has on healing and biomarkers.
Moleculight i:X™ emits violet blue light and in controlled lighting can identify bacteria above a pre-determined concentration in a wound by identifying natural fluorescence in bacterial cell wall.
REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/0354
Date of REC Opinion
6 May 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion