# Use of Supplemented Medical-Grade Honey to Treat Traumatic Skin Injuries in Geriatric Patients in a Home-Care Setting

## TL;DR

Medical-grade honey supplemented with vitamins C and E effectively treats traumatic skin injuries in elderly patients at home.

## Contribution

Demonstrates the clinical efficacy of supplemented medical-grade honey for treating traumatic skin injuries in geriatric home-care patients.

## Key findings

- Supplemented medical-grade honey reduced inflammation and removed necrotic tissue in traumatic skin injuries.
- Wounds healed completely within 21 days with no recurrence or complications.
- Treatment eliminated infection signs within 7.5 days on average.

## Abstract

Background

Traumatic skin injuries (TSI) are more common to geriatric population due to reduced skin elasticity and increased gait instability. This is also associated with an altered wound-healing mechanism thus requires a cost-efficient and effective treatment. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to highlight the efficacy of medical-grade honey (MGH) supplemented with vitamins C and E for the conservative treatment of TSI in a home-care setting.

Methodology

The present multicenter retrospective case series study included 10 geriatric patients (four men and six women) who sustained TSI of various etiologies. The median age of the patients was 82.5 years (min-max: 65-90 years). Cardiovascular disease was the most frequent concomitant illness (50% of the patients). Previous treatments with povidone-iodine, alginate gel, or simple gauze for 5.5 days (median, min-max: 0-21 days) were ineffective. Treatment with a variety of supplemented MGH products, including ointment, wound gel, gauze, and foam, was commenced upon the initial patients’ examination.

Results

By using MGH products, we achieved effective reduction of the inflammation, removal of the necrotic tissue, and formation of healthy granulation and epithelial tissue. MGH eliminated clinical signs of infection after 7.5 days (median, min-max: 5-35 days). Wounds were completely healed after 21 days (median, min-max: 14-56 days), without evidence of recurrence or complications, and with good functional and aesthetic outcomes.

Conclusions

Supplemented MGH-based products present high clinical efficacy for the treatment of TSI in older adults in a home-care setting, while demonstrating a safe and easy-to-use profile. Therefore, they can be proposed as an alternative or complementary therapeutic approach to conventional TSI therapies.