Impact of Wound Malodour: VOCs and Health-Related Quality of Life
Summary: This feasibility study examines how malodour from chronic wounds, driven by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from bacterial colonization and necrosis, affects patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Analyzing 92 wounds from 66 patients, it identifies key VOCs like dimethyl disulphide and diacetyl, correlates them with pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and highlights a trend toward greater HRQoL impairment in malodorous cases. The findings advocate for innovative, VOC-targeted therapies to reduce social stigma and support wound healing.
Key Highlights:
- Malodour stems from bacterial VOCs (e.g., dimethyl disulphide from prokaryotes) and necrosis, with biofilms linked to higher odour perception.
- Patients with moderate-to-severe odour showed higher HRQoL impairment (Wound-QoL-14 score 2.1 vs. 1.8), correlating with social isolation and delayed care.
- Pathogen-specific biomarkers identified, such as dimethyl trisulphide for P. aeruginosa and indole for E. coli, enabling targeted antimicrobial strategies.
- Current dressings like activated charcoal offer partial relief (48% efficacy); future VOC antagonists could enhance biomaterials for odour control and tissue regeneration.
- Epithializing wounds had lower VOCs and odour, underscoring malodour as a stalled healing marker.
Keywords:
wound malodour,
volatile organic compounds,
chronic wounds,
health related quality of life,
wound healing innovation