Table 1.
EGF in peripheral tissue healing
| Author/Ref. | Indication | Route/dose and duration | Number of patients | Study | Outcome | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown (23) | Acceleration of epidermal regeneration of donor sites | Topic; EGF 10 mcg/ml until re‐epithelialisation | 12 patients; controlled within patient, side/side (EGF/SS) | DBRCT | Acceleration of the rate of healing | Not described |
| Alert (24) | Prevention of skin burns by radiotherapy | Topic; EGF 10 mcg/g of SSC/twice a day, for the whole radiotherapy programme | 23 patients for EGF cream | POL | Potent radioprotection | Not described |
| Brown (25) | Healing stimulation of different types of chronic wounds | Topic; EGF 10 mcg/g of SSC until healing | 9 patients crossed over to EGF | POL‐crossover | Wounds closure in eight patients | † |
| Falanga (26) | Healing of venous ulcers | Topic; EGF 10 mcg/ml/10 weeks or until healing | 17 EGF/18 PL | DBRCT | Greater reduction in ulcer size and larger number of ulcers healed | Follow‐up not mentioned. Well tolerated |
| Borges (27) | Burn wounds healing enhancement | Topic; EGF 10 mcg/g of cream/48 hours until healing | 10 pediatric patients for EGF group | Phase II. DBRCT | Wound healing and re‐epithelialisation enhancement | Well tolerated |
| Cohen (28) | Healing of controlled wounds | Topic; EGF 10 mcg/g of SSC/twice daily, no longer than day 21. | 17 healthy volunteers/wounds for EGF | DBRCT | No difference in wound healing | Well tolerated |
| Gonzalez (29) | Healing stimulation of venous ulcers | Topic; EGF 10 mcg/g of cream; thrice a week / 6 weeks | 40 patients for EGF creams | DBRCT | Wound healing enhancement by EGF | Well tolerated |
| Rodriguez (30) | Acne progress control and scars amelioration | Topic; EGF 10 mcg/g of cream/24 hours for 6 weeks | 30 patients for EGF | DBRCT | Acne control and scars attenuation | Well tolerated |
| Tsang (18) | Healing of diabetic foot ulcers | Topic; EGF 0·02–0·04% for 12 weeks | 21 per EGF concentration group | DBRCT | Enhancement of healing and healing time reduction | Follow‐up–6 months. Well tolerated |
| Hong (19) | Healing of diabetic foot ulcers | Topic; EGF 0·05% + dressing until healing | 68 patients crossed over to EGF | POL‐Crossover | Enhanced healing of neuropathic foot ulcer | Follow‐up–6 months. Well tolerated |
| Viswanathan (31) | Efficacy and safety of EGF gel in patients with Grade I or II DFU | Topic; EGF 150 mcg/g up to 16 weeks * | 30 EGF / 30 PL | Phase III‐DBRCT | Enhancement of healing and healing time reduction | Well tolerated. Follow‐up for 2 years |
| Berlanga (32) | Efficacy of EGF local infiltrations in terminal DFU | Local EGF (intralesionally) injected at 25–125 mcg/ulcer, thrice a week up to 8 weeks | 29 patients for EGF | POL | Stimulation of ulcer granulation | Well tolerated. 1‐year follow‐up |
| Fdez‐Montequin (33) | Efficacy of EGF local infiltrations in terminal DFU | IDEM. injected at 25 or 75 mcg/ulcer, thrice a week up to 8 weeks | 41 patients for either EGF dose | Phase II. DBR‐dose controlled | Stimulation of ulcer granulation | Well tolerated. 1‐year follow up |
| Mohan (34) | Healing rate, reduction of healing time | Topic; EGF 150 mcg/g for 15 weeks or total healing | 135 only for EGF | Phase IV (PMS) | Enhancement and speeding for the healing process of DFU | Well tolerated |
| Tabrizi (35) | Reduction of healing time for PV lesions | Topic; EGF 10 mcg/in SSC until healing | 20 patients. Controlled within patient, left/right | DBRCT | Significant reduction in healing time | Well tolerated |
| Betancourt (36) | Efficacy of EGF local infiltrations for ulcer healing | Injected into the ulcer 75 mcg, thrice a week up to re‐epithelialisation | 20 patients | POL | Stimulation of ulcer granulation and re‐epithelialisation | Well tolerated |
*Treatment was prolonged even if wounds healed earlier to check for adverse effects.
†Although safety data are not explicitly described, it can be inferred that patients were followed for years when the authors described ulcers recurrence in a period between 1 and 4 years.
EGF, epidermal growth factor; DBRCT, double‐blind randomised‐controlled trial; POL, prospective open label; PL, placebo; Mcg, microgram; PV, pemphigus vulgaris; PMS, post‐marketing surveillance study; DFU, diabetic foot ulcers; SS, silver sulphadiazine cream.