TREATMENT OF HUMAN ULCERS BY APPLICATION OF MACROPHAGES PREPARED FROMA BLOOD UNIT

Decubital ulcers contribute to morbidity and mortality in elderly pati ents. Macrophages play a major role in the process of wound healing. W e compared the efficacy of local treatment of decubital ulcers in elde rly patients using macrophages prepared from a blood unit, vs. convent ional treatments. Patients with decubital ulcers (n = 199) hospitalize d during one year in a Geriatric Hospital in Israel, were included in the study. The ulcers of 72 patients (average age 82), who provided in formed consent, by themselves or by family, were treated by local inje ction of macrophages prepared from a blood unit in a closed sterile sy stem. The remaining 127 patients (average age 79) were treated convent ionally and served as controls. No exclusion criteria were applied. On ly a completely healed ulcer was considered a positive outcome of trea tment. In the macrophage-treated group 27% (36 out of 131 ulcers) were healed compared to 6% (15 out of 248) in the control group (p < 0.001 ). There was also a significantly faster healing in the experimental g roup (p < 0.02). NO Side effects were noted. We conclude that Macropha ges prepared from a blood unit, in cost-effective, closed, sterile sys tem, are significantly more effective than conventional methods for th e treatment of ulcers in elderly patients. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science I nc.