Antibiotic concentration in the exudate of venous ulcers: The prediction of ulcer healing rate

Abstract

We have designed a test to measure the local circulatory insufficiency in the base of chronic venous ulcers by measuring the concentration of Cefuroxime in the ulcer exudate following a single intravenous injection of the antibiotic at a dose of 500mg/m². We have studied 28 patients with 42 ulcers and shown that the concentration achieved increased with in‐patient conservative treatment (P < 0·01), decreased again on discharge from hospital if the ulcers had not healed (P < 0·01) and correlated with observed healing rates (r = 0·72). This test may assist in the clinical management of these cases by predicting healing rates and the likely outcome of conservative treatment.