Topical Pentoxifylline 10% Gel Accelerates Healing in Pressure Ulcers
A randomized controlled trial, published online June 3, 2025 in *International Journal of Low Extremity Wounds*, evaluated the effectiveness of a 10% pentoxifylline (PTX) topical gel versus standard care in 70 patients with stage 2–3 pressure ulcers.
Key Highlights:
- Study Design: 35 patients received PTX gel once daily plus standard care; 35 in control group received standard care with an alternative novel dressing.
- Wound Size Reduction: The PTX group showed a significantly greater decrease in ulcer area at both week 1 and week 2 (p < 0.05).
- Complete Healing: By week 2, 46% of the PTX group achieved complete wound closure compared to 26% in the control group (45.7% vs 25.7%; p = 0.081), just missing statistical significance.
- Conclusion: Topical PTX 10% gel appears to safely and effectively enhance early healing in pressure ulcers, offering a promising local treatment strategy.
Read the full article in Int J Low Extrem Wounds.
Keywords:
pentoxifylline,
topical gel,
pressure ulcer,
randomized controlled trial,
wound healing