Exploring the Profile of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Human Wounds: Potential for Infection Control-A...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Wound Care

Background:

• Chronic wounds significantly impact patient well-being and healthcare costs.
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present a promising avenue for non-invasive wound monitoring.
• Understanding VOC profiles could aid in detecting wound complications early.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and characterize VOCs identified in human acute and chronic wounds.
• To assess the potential of VOCs for diagnosing wound status and complications.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across three databases (OVID SP).
• Data extraction using a standardized form and risk of bias assessment (QUADAS-2).
• Analysis of 11 studies reporting on VOCs in acute and chronic wounds.

Main Results:

• 105 unique VOCs were identified across the included studies.
• 16 VOCs appeared in multiple studies; 9 were common to both acute and chronic wounds.
• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry was the primary detection method.
• Evidence suggests VOCs can differentiate infected from non-infected wounds.

Conclusions:

• VOCs show diagnostic potential for wound assessment, particularly in distinguishing infection.
• Significant heterogeneity and limited data highlight the need for further research.
• Common VOCs provide a foundation for developing standardized wound assessment techniques.