Eradication of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in pressure ulcers comparing a polyhexanide-containing cellulose dressing with polyhexanide swabs in a prospective randomized study.

OBJECTIVE

The study evaluated eradication of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from pressure ulcers comparing swabs containing polyhexanide with a cellulose dressing + polyhexanide. After receiving approval from the ethics committee and informed consent, patients from the centers were recruited.

DESIGN

Prospective randomized study. Thirty patients (n = 15/n = 15), not responding to wound disinfection after a washout period of 2 weeks, were included in the intention-to-treat analysis.

SETTING

This study was performed on hospital patients.

PATIENTS

Patients had pressure ulcers containing MRSA.

INTERVENTIONS

For the control group, cleansing was performed with polyhexanide swabs (20 minutes), after which a foam dressing was applied. The study group received a polyhexanide-containing cellulose dressing. For bacterial analysis, semiquantitative swab cultures (Robert Koch Institute recommendations) were taken on days 0, 7, and 14 and during 3 consecutive days.

RESULTS

The groups were comparable at baseline. At day 7, in the control group, 6 of 15 (40%) MRSA eradication. For the study group, there were 13 of 15 (86.67%) who showed MRSA eradication. At day 14, in the control group, there were 10 of 15 (66.67%) who had MRSA eradication, compared with the study group, where 15 of 15 (100%; P < .05) had the MRSA eradicated.

CONCLUSIONS

Wound disinfection with polyhexanide was shown to be successful in both groups, showing superior results for the study group.