Commentaries on venous leg ulcers diagnostic and treatment draft guideline.

A guideline on venous leg ulcer diagnosis and treatment was developed by a research team from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa., in collaboration with an inter-disciplinary panel of wound care clinicians. Working from a consensus statement based on a literature review, the authors developed preliminary algorithms, which were reviewed by a national advisory panel. The draft guideline was prepared, and the authors now seek national peer review to address whether it is clinically relevant, useful and represents current practice. The entire diagnostic draft guideline was published in the April issue of Ostomy/Wound Management; the entire treatment draft guideline in the May issue. After peer review and pilot testing, the guideline will be modified and validated in prospective clinical trials.