Positive Wound Healing Progress Using Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Gel in Patients with Low Albumin and Hemoglobin

Purpose: It is well known in the wound care world that patients with abnormally low albumin and hemoglobin do not heal well. Wounds become chronic and stall due to inadequate cellular nutrients.  This study was to determine whether treating these malnourished wounds with topical autologous platelet rich plasma gel* (PRP Gel) would re-activate the healing process.

Methodology: Patient age, albumin, hemoglobin, previous wound duration, and objective wound measurements were gathered to determine wound area, volume, amount of undermining, sinus tracts & tunneling (ST/T). PRP Gel is processed at the point of care and contains the patient’s growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines for cell growth and migration, plasma-derived proteins to produce a fibrin matrix scaffold, and anti-inflammatory properties to progress the natural healing process.  

Results: Twenty two patients with 41 wounds were treated with PRP Gel. All these patients had an albumin <2.5 g/dL and hemoglobin <10.5.g/dL. Twenty one (21) of 22 patients (95%) were treated in Long Term Acute Care Hospitals (LTACs).  Mean patient age was 63.7 and previous wound duration was 61.5 weeks.

The following data reflects mean outcomes. In 1.3 treatments over 2.1 weeks, 78% of wounds decreased 42.8% in area, 87.8% of the wounds reduced 58.5% in volume. In 1.3 weeks with 2.3 treatments, 80% of the wounds with undermining (10/41) had 70.4% reduction and 75% of the wounds with sinus tracts or tunneling (4/41) had 27.4% reduction. No complications occurred in the patients.

Conclusion: By treating the wounds with PRP Gel, rapid size reduction in long standing wounds occurred in patients with abnormally low albumin and hemoglobin.  It appears that the PRP Gel re-activates the healing process causing tissue growth in stalled wounds in patients with low laboratory values.

*AutoloGel™, Cytomedix, Inc, Gaithersburg, MD