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Chronic Wound Repair and Healing in Older Adults: Current Status and Future Research
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Chronic Wound Repair and Healing in Older Adults: Current Status and Future Research

Lisa Gould, Peter Abadir, Harold Brem, Marissa Carter, Teresa Conner-Kerr, Jeff Davidson, Luisa DiPietro, Vincent Falanga, Caroline Fife, Sue Gardner, …
Wound repair and regeneration, Vol.23(1), pp.1-13
01/2015
DOI: 10.1111/wrr.12245
PMID: 25486905
url
http://doi.org/10.1111/wrr.12245View
Open Access

Abstract

The incidence of chronic wounds is increased among older adults, and the impact of chronic wounds on quality of life is particularly profound in this population. It is well established that wound healing slows with age. However, the basic biology underlying chronic wounds and the influence of age-associated changes on wound healing are poorly understood. Most studies have used in vitro approaches and various animal models, but observed changes translate poorly to human healing conditions. The impact of age and accompanying multi-morbidity on the effectiveness of existing and emerging treatment approaches for chronic wounds is also unknown, and older adults tend to be excluded from randomized clinical trials. Poorly defined outcomes and variables, lack of standardization in data collection, and variations in the definition, measurement, and treatment of wounds also hamper clinical studies. The Association of Specialty Professors, in conjunction with the National Institute on Aging and the Wound Healing Society, held a workshop, summarized in this paper, to explore the current state of knowledge and research challenges, engage investigators across disciplines, and identify key research questions to guide future study of age-associated changes in chronic wound healing.
Wound Healing diabetic foot ulcer wound repair chronic wound pressure ulcer venous leg ulcer

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