| Methods |
RCT, allocation using random numbers table. Follow up for six weeks. |
| Participants |
Patients with chronic wounds of Grade 2 or Grade 3 receiving care in a community setting.
49 wounds, eight of which were pressure ulcers. |
| Interventions |
Intervention group: (n = 6) ulcers cleansed with tap water. Control group: (n = 2) ulcers cleansed with saline. A combination of hydrocolloid and gel or hydrocolloid alone was used topically on the intervention group, whereas either a hydrocolloid alone or a hydrocolloid and hydrocolloid paste was used in the control group. |
| Outcomes |
Sub group analysis not conducted. Three of the six wounds in the tap water group healed, whereas neither of the two wounds in the saline group healed in the study period. |
| Notes |
This study considered more than one type of wound: i.e. lacerations, venous ulcers and pressure ulcers, however, only the pressure ulcer data is reported here. Information regarding baseline comparability was not reported. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Quote: "using a random numbers table". |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not stated. |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
Participants ‐ all outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Not stated. |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
Blinding of personnel delivering intervention ‐ all outcomes |
Low risk |
The nurse performing the dressing was blinded.
Quote: "solutions delivered in identical containers to the community nurses" |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
Outcome assessors ‐ all outcomes |
Low risk |
Quote: "the project manager was blinded and undertook the assessment of the wound at baseline and at 6 weeks". |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
8 participants, 4 from each group were "withdrawn because they stopped participating, were admitted to hospital or did not adhere to the treatment". These participants were not included in the analysis. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
All outcomes reported were those outlined by the authors in the paper |
