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Studies Demonstrate Benefits of ConvaTec's Aquacel Ag Hydrofiber Dressing in the Management of Partial Thickness Burns

Data Highlight Clinical, Resource and Cost Benefits of Advanced Antimicrobial Dressing

SKILLMAN, N.J. -- May 5, 2006 -- Data show that a protocol of care using ConvaTec's Aquacel® Ag Hydrofiber® absorbent antimicrobial dressing provided clinical and resource benefits, including fewer dressing changes, reduced hospital length of stay, and better cost-effectiveness compared to silver sulfadiazine (silvadene) cream for the management of adult and pediatric patients with partial thickness burns.1,2

The data are from two separate studies presented at the 38^th Annual Meeting of the American Burn Association.

The first study,1 a multi-center, prospective, randomized phase III clinical trial, evaluated protocols of care comparing Aquacel Ag Hydrofiber® dressing with silver sulfadiazine, considered the gold standard topical treatment, in 84 adult and pediatric patients for up to 21 days. All patients had superficial, mid-dermal, or mixed partial thickness-burns, covering five to 40% of total body surface area.

Study results showed that based on dressings, labor, and medications, the mean total cost of clinical care in the Aquacel Ag Hydrofiber® protocol dressing group tended to be lower than silver sulfadiazine protocol group ($1,040.00 vs. $1,180.80). Furthermore, a higher percentage of patients in the Aquacel Ag dressing protocol group (73.8% vs. 60%) achieved full re-epithelialization over the burn site by 21 days, resulting in an average total cost savings of nearly $560 per burn healed.1

Additional secondary endpoints observed in the Aquacel Ag Hydrofiber® dressing group compared to the silver sulfadiazine group included:
· Fewer than half the number of dressing changes per day (.5 vs. 1.2) and in total over 21 days (7.7 vs. 19.1)
· Less nursing time required per dressing change (35 vs. 53 minutes)
· Reduction in procedural medications required 1

"As clinicians will attest, changing burn dressings often causes trauma upon removal and anxiety for the patient," said lead investigator Daniel M. Caruso, MD, FACS, Chairman of the Department of Surgery and Medical Director of The Arizona Burn Center at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ. "Advanced dressings like Aquacel Ag, that not only support safe and effective healing but also require fewer changes and provide greater patient comfort, should naturally be received as an improved standard of care."

This phase 3 study was supported by a grant from ConvaTec.

Aquacel AG Hydrofiber® Dressing Reduces Hospital Length of Stay in Pediatric Patients
In the second study presented at the ABA meeting, Aquacel Ag Hydrofiber® dressing was shown to reduce the average length of hospital stay in pediatric patients with partial thickness burns.2

The retrospective review of Burn Registry Data from the Columbus Children's Hospital (OH) analyzed data from 79 pediatric patients with partial thickness burns treated with either Aquacel Ag Hydrofiber® dressing or silver sulfadiazine cream. The comparative groups were matched for age and burn type over the same time period, and limited to no more than 22% total body surface area (TBSA) burned. Patients requiring grafting and with inhalation injury were excluded, and mean stays were adjusted to control for TBSA variances.

The analysis revealed an average reduction in the adjusted mean length of hospital stay by more than one third (3.8 vs. 5.9 days,) for the Aquacel Ag dressing treatment group.2

This study did not receive financial support from ConvaTec.


REFERENCES:
1. Caruso D, et al. Randomized Clinical Study of Hydrofiber Dressing With Silver or Silver Sulfadiazine in the Management of Partial Thickness Burns; Data accepted for oral presentation at the 2006 American Burn Association Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, 4 April, 2006.
2. Paddock H, Besner G, et al. A Silver Impregnated Antimicrobial Dressing Reduces Hospital Length of Stay for Pediatric Burn Patients; Data accepted for oral presentation at the 2006 American Burn Association Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, 5 April, 2006.


SOURCE: ConvaTec

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