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Abstract
Background: Topical treatments impregnated with silver are being increasingly used in the treatment of acute and chronic wounds; however, the evidence on the effectiveness of silver wound care treatment is in question.
Objectives: To systematically review the literature examining the effectiveness of silver in wound care treatment.
Methods: Research databases were consulted including the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), ProQuest, MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for relevant clinical trials from 2000 to 2009. Studies deemed to have met inclusion criteria were scored using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale and those scoring 4/10 or higher were included in this review.
Results: Five clinical trials were identified including three randomized control trials including a total of 410 subjects. Methodological quality ranged from 4 to 10 out of 10. All five research studies showed positive effects of the use of silver dressings or topical agents.
Conclusion: This literature review analyzed the effectiveness of sliver hydroalginate, Contreet foam, hydrofiber Ag dressings along with hyaluronic acid plus silver sulfadiazine and silver sulfadiazine topical agents in wound care. Second degree burns, venous leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers and open surgical and traumatic wounds were analyzed in the included studies. The results of this literature review demonstrate that silver dressings and topical agents are promising as safe and effective treatment methods for wound care patients throughout the treatment period in the selected studies. However, further research should be conducted to provide additional evidence on the effectiveness of silver dressings and topical agents.
The authors of this systematic review would like to acknowledge the support from Professor Joshua Cleland, DPT, PhD, OCS of Franklin Pierce University in Concord, NH.