Assessment of MEBT/MEBO in Healing of Chronic Pressure Ulcers: A Multicenter Controlled Randomized Trial

 Mahmoud Sakr¹, Hossam Hamed², Chen Yong-chong³

1. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt

2. Surgical Division, Ahmadi Hospital, Kuwait

3. Department of Burns, Wounds and Ulcers of China Science & Technology Center

 And Beijing MEBO Institution of Burns, Wounds and Ulcers, Beijing, China (100020)

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of Moist Environment Burn Ointment [MEBO] (Julphar Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries, UAE, and SanTou MEBO Pharmaceutical CO., LTD., China) in healing of chronic pressure ulcers. 

Subjects and Methods: Consecutive patients (n=134) with chronic pressure ulcers (n=218) treated at 3 different hospitals were randomized to receive either MEBO (Group 1, n=69 with 112 ulcers) or saline wet-to-moist dressing (Group 2 controls, n=64 with 106 ulcers). Data collected prospectively included demographics, nutritional status, underlying predisposing disease, co-morbidities, and ulcer characteristics. Ulcer surface area (SA) and healing index (HI) were calculated and compared at two-week intervals for 12 weeks.

Results: 78 patients (58.2%) were male and 56 (41.8%) were female. Their ages ranged between 14-102 years, with a mean of 64.5 years. Patients in both groups had similar demographic, clinical, biochemical and ulcer characteristics. There was a significant increase in HI and reduction in SA starting at two weeks after initiation of treatment in patients treated with MEBO. At 12 weeks, 66.3% of ulcers treated with MEBO had complete healing (HI=1) as opposed to only 22.6% of those treated with saline (X²=36.1, P=0.000). Moreover, none of the patients receiving MEBO had a HI of<0.5 at 12 weeks (effective healing) as compared to 38.7% of those receiving saline (X²=35.9, P=0.000). No adverse effects or allergic reactions were encountered.

Conclusions: In addition to its safety, MEBO significantly promotes healing of chronic pressure ulcers with significant increase in HI and significant reduction of SA of any given ulcer as early as two weeks following initiation of treatment with complete healing of two-thirds and effective healing of one-third of ulcers by 12 weeks.