Clinical study results
Caruso, et al. 2006 [+]
In a randomized clinical study of AQUACEL® Ag Hydrofiber® Dressing with Silver, Sterile
versus silver sulfadiazine, AQUACEL®Ag dressing was associated with:1
- Significantly less pain and anxiety during dressing changes (P=0.002 and P=0.009, respectively)
- Fewer dressing changes and less nursing time (P<0.001)
- Fewer procedural and opiate medications during dressing changes
- Lower average total cost of care per burn healed versus silver sulfadiazine cream

- Less than half the number of dressing changes as silver sulfadiazine
- Significantly less nursing time per dressing change
- 28% reduction in the cost per partial thickness burn healed compared to silver sulfadiazine
- Lower total treatment cost for a 21-day regimen (including dressings medication and labour):
Caruso, et al. 2004 [+]
In a phase II non-comparative trial of AQUACEL®Ag dressing in superficial, mid-dermal and mixed partial-thickness burns:2
- The ability of AQUACEL®Ag dressing to soothe pain was rated as “excellent“ or “very good“ in 91% of patients by the investigator at final assessment
- There was a significant reduction in pain whilst the dressing was in situ between baseline and day-3 and baseline and day-5 (P=0.0006 and P=0.0256, respectively)
- “77% [of] patients achieved complete healing ... within 14 days ... [with] ... AQUACEL® Ag [dressing]“
- “[With AQUACEL® Ag] the dressing/wound interface remains moist, thereby ... [supporting] ... an appropriate environment for re-epithelialization of the superficial and mid-dermal areas“
Paddock, et al. 2007 [+]
In a retrospective review of data on pediatric patients treated with AQUACEL®Ag dressing versus silver sulfadiazine:3
- Total and direct hospital costs per treated patient were significantly lower for AQUACEL®Ag dressing (P<0.001 and P=0.004, respectively)
- Fixed and variable costs for AQUACEL® Ag totaled: $2,594
- Fixed and variable costs for silver sulfadiazine totaled: $6,389
- “application of ... (AQUACEL®Ag dressing ) reduces both total charges and direct costs for pediatric patients admitted with partial-thickness burn wounds.“
Jude, et al. 2007 [+]
In a randomized trial of 134 patients, treated with a protocol of care including AQUACEL®Ag dressing or calcium alginate dressing for the management of nonischemic diabetic foot ulcers:4
- The decrease in ulcer depth, in the AQUACEL®Ag dressing group was twice that of the calcium alginate group (P=0.042)
- The mean time to healing was 53 days for the AQUACEL®Ag dressing group and 58 days for the calcium alginate dressing group (P=0.340)
- 87.7% of patients diabetic foot ulcer managed with AQUACEL®Ag dressing were healed or improved compared with 70.8% of patients managed with calcium alginate dressings (P=0.058)
Vanscheidt, et al. 2003 [+]
In a multicenter, non-comparative clinical trial of 15 patients with chronic leg ulcers, managed with AQUACEL®Ag dressing, the following was observed5:
- 95% of ulcers managed in the protocol of care showed marked or mild improvement after 28 days
- Mean reduction of ulcer area was 23.9%
- Pain scores from baseline to final evaluation were significantly reduced for both dressing in situ and during removal (P<0.05).
Jurczak, et al. 2007 [+]
In a randomized trial of 67 patients, comparing AQUACEL®Ag dressing with povidone-iodine gauze in the management of open surgical and traumatic wounds:6
- "At final evaluation,...(AQUACEL®Ag dressing )...was significantly better than povidone-iodine gauze for overall ability to manage pain (P<0.001)"
- AQUACEL®Ag dressing was significantly better than povidone-iodine gauze in terms of wound trauma on dressing removal (P<0.001) and ease of use (P<0.001)
- At study completion 23% of subjects managed with AQUACEL®Ag dressing had healed versus 9% for povidone-iodine gauze, although statistical significance was not achieved.
AQUACEL®Ag dressing was significantly better than povidone-iodine gauze for the management of exudate (P<0.001)

References [+]
- Caruso DM, Foster KN, Blome-Eberwein SA et al. Randomized clinical study of Hydrofiber dressing with silver or silver sulfadiazine in the management of partial-thickness burns. J Burn Care Res 2006; 27(3):298–309.
- Caruso DM, Foster KN, Hermans MH, Rick C. Aquacel Ag in the management of partial-thickness burns: results of a clinical trial. J Burn Care Rehabil. 2004;25[1]:89-97.
- Paddock HN, Fabia R, Giles S, et al. A silver-impregnated antimicrobial dressing reduces hospital costs for pediatric burn patients. J Pediatr Surg. 2007;42[1]:211-213.
- Jude EB, Apelqvist J, Spraul M, Martini J. Prospective randomised controlled study of Hydrofiber® dressing containing ionic silver or calcium alginate dressings in non-ischaemic diabetic foot ulcers. Diabet Med. 2007;24:280-288.
- Vanscheidt W, Lazareth I, Routkovsky-Norval C. Safety evaluation of a new ionic silver dressing in the management of chronic ulcers. Wounds. 2003;15(11):371-378.
- Jurczak F, Dugre T, Johnstone A, Offori T, Vujovic Z, Hollander D. Randomised clinical trial of Hydrofiber dressing with silver versus povidone-iodine gauze in the management of open surgical and traumatic wounds. Int Wound J 2007; 4(1): 66-76.