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A therapy-resistant chronic leg ulcer treated successfully with topical basic fibroblast growth factor
1Department of Dermatology, Hyogo Prefectural Tsukaguchi Hospital, Hyogo, Japan. ikuro@alles.or.jp
The Journal of International Medical Research
|May 23, 2003
Summary
Topical basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) effectively treated a therapy-resistant leg ulcer in a rheumatoid arthritis patient. This treatment promoted healing by stimulating new blood vessel growth, skin repair, and scar formation.
Area of Science:
- Wound healing research
- Regenerative medicine
- Dermatology
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients often develop chronic, therapy-resistant leg ulcers.
- Standard treatments for such ulcers can be ineffective, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches.
Observation:
- A patient with rheumatoid arthritis presented with a chronic leg ulcer that showed resistance to conventional therapies.
- The ulcer area was substantial and had not responded to previous treatment regimens.
Findings:
- Topical application of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) at 30 micrograms/day for 3 months.
- Significant reduction in ulcer area observed, indicating clinical efficacy.
- bFGF promoted key healing processes: angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation), re-epithelialization (skin layer regeneration), granulation tissue formation, and scar development.
Implications:
- Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) shows promise as an effective treatment for difficult-to-heal leg ulcers.
- This finding could lead to new therapeutic strategies for chronic wounds, particularly in immunocompromised or comorbid patient populations.
- Further research into bFGF's role in wound repair may optimize treatment protocols for various chronic wound types.