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EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR ENHANCES WOUND HEALING.

The healing of a wound involves many processes: inflammation, fibroplasia, epithelialization, angiogenesis, and formation and contraction of connective tissue. As we better understand the molecular control of wound healing, therapeutic possibilities become apparent.

These investigators asked whether epidermal growth factor (EGF), which promotes skin growth in vitro, could promote epithelialization in certain wounds where it is especially important: skin graft-donor sites. In a prospective, randomized, double-blind trial, they evaluated topical EGF in 12 patients who required skin grafting. Paired donor sites in each patient were treated with silver sulfadiazine cream, either alone or with recombinant EGF added. EGF significantly hastened wound healing in all patients, reducing normal healing time by 10 to 15 percent.

Topical EGF may prove helpful in patients with major burns and limited graft-donor sites, but is not likely to be as efficacious in wounds (such as closed wounds) that require stimulation of repair processes other than epithelialization. Nevertheless, these findings will doubtless encourage increased study of other growth factors that may, along with EGF, promote wound healing.

— ALK

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine July 21, 1989

Citation(s):

Hunt TK; LaVan FB. Enhancement of wound healing by growth factors. N Engl J Med 1989 Jul 13 321 111-112.

• Medline abstract (Free)

Brown GL et al. Enhancement of wound healing by topical treatment with epidermal growth factor. N Engl J Med 1989 Jul 13 321 76-79.

• Medline abstract (Free)