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Efficacy of Topical Atorvastatin for the Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Author(s) -
Farsaei Shadi,
Khalili Hossein,
Farboud Effat Sadat,
Karimzadeh Iman,
Beigmohammadi Mohammad Taghi
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1002/phar.1339
Subject(s) - atorvastatin , medicine , randomized controlled trial , pressure sores , placebo , clinical trial , surgery , anesthesia , alternative medicine , pathology
Study Objective To evaluate the effects of topical atorvastatin on the healing process of pressure ulcers in critically ill patients. Design Randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Setting Medical‐surgical intensive care unit of a university‐affiliated teaching hospital in Tehran, Iran. Patients One hundred four patients with stage I or II pressure ulcers, graded according to the 2‐digit Stirling Pressure Sore Severity Scale. Intervention Patients were randomized to receive topical atorvastatin 1% ointment (51 patients [atorvastatin group]) or placebo ointment (53 patients [control group]) applied once/day to pressure ulcers for 14 days in addition to standard care for pressure ulcers. Measurements and Main Results The efficacy of each treatment was assessed on days 7 and 14. Efficacy was determined based on the degree of healing of the existing pressure ulcer by using the 2‐digit Stirling scale. The baseline stage of the pressure ulcers did not differ significantly between the control and atorvastatin groups. However, the mean ± SD stage of pressure ulcers significantly decreased in the atorvastatin group compared with the control group on day 7 (0.97 ± 0.76 vs 1.74 ± 0.75, p<0.01) and day 14 (0.42 ± 0.67 vs 1.71 ± 0.78, p<0.01) of treatment. In addition, the mean ± SD surface areas of ulcers in the atorvastatin group were significantly declined compared with the control group after 7 days (5.55 ± 4.55 vs 9.41 ± 5.03 cm 2 , p<0.01) and 14 days (3.72 ± 4.45 vs 10.41 ± 6.41 cm 2 , p<0.01) of treatment. Conclusion Topical application of atorvastatin ointment 1% for 14 days in addition to standard care significantly accelerated the healing of stage I or II pressure ulcers in critically ill patients.