Trengove 1999.

Methods	Prospective cohort study Setting: inpatients in hospital Country: Australia Duration of follow‐up: 2 weeks Treatments: bedrest
Participants	15 participants with VLUs or A‐V mixed aetiology (7 VLU; 8 venous with minor arterial disease (Dopplers > 0.6 and < 0.9)) Mean age: 77 (range 55‐91) years Sex (M:F): 10:5 Stage of ulcer: not reported Ulcer duration: ≥ 3 months Wound infection: not reported Number of wounds: 15 (inferred) Inclusion criteria: chronic leg ulcers in the gaiter region excluding the foot (all had venous disease and had been treated as outpatients with compression to improve venous function; in all cases, ulcers had failed to respond to treatment as defined by no reduction in size in > 3 months or a continued increase in size of ulcer); arterial disease by ankle‐brachial ratio < 0.9 Exclusion criteria: not reported
Prognostic factors	MMP (unspecified); MMP‐2, MMP‐9 (implied) and elastase. Measurement method gelatin zymography and fluorogenic substrate assay: Azcoll assay with spectrophotometer and compared to standard curve for collagenase. µg protease equivalents/mL fluid; gelatin zymography; incubation with Illomostat for specific MMP activity. Fluorogenic substrate assay: µg elastase/mL fluid (elastase) Time of measurement: within 24 hours admission and after 2 weeks' bedrest Wound fluid sampling method: occlusive dressings (transparent occlusive film (Opsite) placed over wound in morning; fluid aspirated from beneath dressing after 1 hour)
Notes	Limited data collection; no results. Risk of bias assessments available on request