Can Venous Ulcer Size be Associated with the Healing Potential of Serum? Pilot Study

What is it about?

Ulcer size may be associated to slow healing. If this association is true, it could help with diagnosis and subsequent treatment of chronic venous ulcer (CVU). The aim of this work was to study the relationship of ulcer size of CVU patients with the healing potential contained in their serum. This potential was measured directly on patients? sera through a cytometric technique for the content of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF). These factors are responsible for revascularization, fibroblast proliferation, and collagen deposition. Further, the effect of serum on proliferation and collagen deposition was evaluated in vitro cultures. The results of the in vitro experiment highlighted the isolated effects of homolateral venous serum factors on Vero cells line not undergoing any inflammation. Ulcer size did not influence the characteristics of sera from CVU patients. In the discussion, our results are evaluated in the context of recent research regarding ulcer sizes.

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