Table 1. Characteristics of the Study Participants.
| Characteristic | Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Group (n = 226) | Standard Treatment Group (n = 234) |
|---|---|---|
| Age, y | ||
| Mean (SD) | 46.1 (19.9) | 44.5 (19.0) |
| Median (IQR) | 42 (29-61) | 44 (26-57) |
| Height, mean (SD), m | 1.74 (0.12) | 1.72 (0.16) |
| Weight, mean (SD), kg | 80.9 (16.8) | 80.9 (19.4) |
| Male, No. (%) | 178 (78.8) | 164 (70.1) |
| Diabetes, No. (%) | 14 (6.2) | 13 (5.6) |
| Smoker, No. (%) | 70 (31.0) | 79 (33.8) |
| No. of cigarettes/d, mean (SD) | 15.4 (10.9) | 15.3 (10.4) |
| No. of years smoking, mean (SD) | 17.6 (12.4) | 17.4 (12.0) |
| Employment, No. (%) | ||
| Employed | 147 (65.0) | 160 (68.4) |
| Retired or inactive | 44 (19.5) | 44 (18.8) |
| Unemployed | 28 (12.4) | 25 (10.7) |
| Unknown | 7 (3.1) | 5 (2.1) |
| Mechanism of injury, No. (%) | ||
| Road traffic crash | 125 (55.3) | 139 (59.4) |
| Low-energy fall | 34 (15.0) | 39 (16.7) |
| High-energy fall | 34 (15.0) | 25 (10.7) |
| Crush injury | 17 (7.5) | 19 (8.1) |
| Other | 13 (5.8) | 9 (3.8) |
| Contact sports injury | 3 (1.3) | 1 (0.4) |
| Unknown | 0 (0) | 2 (0.9) |
| Injuries associated with the open fracture, No. (%)a | 58 (25.7) | 76 (32.5) |
| Upper limb | 17 (7.5) | 32 (13.7) |
| Chest | 24 (10.6) | 22 (9.4) |
| Spine | 21 (9.3) | 22 (9.4) |
| Head | 14 (6.2) | 11 (4.7) |
| Pelvis | 8 (3.5) | 15 (6.4) |
| Ipsilateral lower limb | 6 (2.7) | 16 (6.8) |
| Contralateral lower limb | 4 (1.8) | 14 (6.0) |
| Abdomen | 3 (1.3) | 12 (5.1) |
| Gustilo and Anderson grade, No. (%)b | ||
| Grade II | 34 (15.0) | 30 (12.8) |
| Grade III | 171 (75.7) | 180 (76.9) |
| Grade III + IV | 21 (9.3) | 24 (10.3) |
| Fracture fixation, No. (%) | ||
| External fixator-half-pin | 107 (47.3) | 111 (47.4) |
| Nail | 49 (21.7) | 56 (23.9) |
| Plate and screws | 38 (16.8) | 32 (13.7) |
| Other | 21 (9.3) | 21 (9.0) |
| External fixator-fine-wire | 3 (1.3) | 11 (4.7) |
| Wires or tension band wires | 7 (3.1) | 3 (1.3) |
| Unknown | 1 (0.4) | 0 (0) |
Abbreviation: IQR, interquartile range.
a
Some study participants had multiple injuries with the open fracture.
b
Type II is an open fracture with a laceration more than 1 cm long without extensive soft-tissue damage, flaps, or avulsions; type III, either an open segmental fracture or an open fracture with extensive soft-tissue damage; and type VI, type III with a vascular injury requiring surgical repair.