Local wound care management for pyoderma gangrenosum

Abstract

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare, painful neutrophilic dermatosis characterized by rapidly progressing skin ulcers. Despite the importance of local wound care in managing PG, there is no consensus or evidence-based guidelines. This systematic review aimed to investigate local wound care strategies for PG. A comprehensive search of Embase, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library yielded 1213 references, from which 269 studies were included, covering 351 patients. The most reported treatment methods included sharp debridement (11%), topical corticosteroids (27%) and non-adherent dressings (12%). However, no clear correlation between these treatments and healing outcomes was found likely due to confounding factors such as varied wound sizes, superinfection and inconsistent reporting. Additionally, directed wound care regimens have not been able to show statistical significance for healing outcomes. Our study describes the current local wound care landscape and underscores a critical gap in the current literature regarding standardized treatment protocols for PG.