Venous leg ulcer: a meta-analysis of adjunctive therapy with micronized purified flavonoid fraction

To assess the effect of oral treatment with micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) on leg ulcer healing.

Meta-analysis of randomised prospective studies using MPFF in addition to conventional treatment.

Five prospective, randomised, controlled studies in which 723 patients with venous ulcers were treated between 1996 and 2001 were identified. Conventional treatment (compression and local care) in addition to MPFF was compared to conventional treatment plus placebo in two studies (N = 309), or with conventional treatment alone in three studies (N = 414). The primary end point was complete ulcer healing at 6 months.

At 6 months, the chance of healing ulcer was 32% better in patients treated with adjunctive MPFF than in those managed by conventional therapy alone (RRR: 32%; CI, 3-70%). This difference was present from month 2 (RRR: 44%; CI, 7-94%), and was associated with a shorter time to healing (16 versus 21 weeks; P = 0.0034). The main benefit of MPFF was present in the subgroup of ulcers between 5 and 10 cm2 in area (RRR: 40%; CI, 6-87%), and those present for 6-12 months duration (RRR: 44%; CI, 6-97%).

These results confirm that venous ulcer healing is accelerated by MPFF treatment. MPFF might be a useful adjunct to conventional therapy in large and long standing ulcers.