Impact of moist wound dressing on wound healing time: A meta-analysis

Among the assortment of available dressings aimed at promoting wound healing, moist dressings have gained significant popularity because of their ability to create an optimal environment for wound recovery. This meta-analysis seeks to compare the effects of moist dressing versus gauze dressing on wound healing time. A comprehensive literature search was conducted, encompassing publications up until April 1, 2023, across multiple databases including PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Cochrane Library. Stringent criteria were used to determine study inclusion and evaluate methodological quality. Statistical analyses were performed utilizing Stata 17.0. A total of 13 articles, encompassing 866 participants, were included in the analysis. The findings indicate that moist dressing surpasses gauze dressing in terms of wound healing time (standard mean difference [SMD] -2.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] -3.35 to -1.66, p < 0.01; I²  = 97.24%), wound site infection rate (odds ratio [OR] 0.30, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.54, p < 0.01; I²  = 39.91%), dressing change times (SMD -3.65, 95% CI -5.34 to -1.97, p < 0.01; I²  = 96.48%), and cost (SMD -2.66, 95% CI -4.24 to -1.09, p < 0.01; I²  = 94.90%). Subgroup analyses revealed possible variations in wound healing time based on wound types and regions. This study underscores the significant advantages associated with the use of moist dressings, including expedited wound healing, reduced infection rates, decreased frequency of dressing changes, and lower overall treatment costs.