The use of Honey in Managing Chronic Wounds

This assignment explores the use of honey in dressing chronic wounds. The term ‘chronic wound’ is defined as a wound that does not heal in an orderly set time frame and is subject to delayed or non-healing. Common causes of chronic wounds can be attributed to diabetes, vascular disease and pressure injuries. A variety of treatments are available for the management of chronic wounds, however there is still a lack of definitive evidence to guide clinicians in the most effective management strategies. This paper utilises a systematic literature review methodology to identify and appraise the current body of evidence surrounding the use of honey in dressing chronic wounds.

A comprehensive search strategy was undertaken using CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane databases. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to the identified articles to select those studies that best met the research question. A total of 12 trials were included in this review, with a variety of methodologies and study designs utilised. The overall quality of evidence was rated as low due to the lack of high-quality trials and inconsistencies between studies.

The findings of this review suggest that honey may have some benefits in the management of chronic wounds when compared to other dressings, however further high-quality research is required to confirm these findings. Given the low quality of evidence currently available, clinicians should exercise caution when considering honey as a treatment option for chronic wounds and should only do so under close medical supervision.

INTRODUCTION

The use of honey as a medicinal product dates back to over 2000 years ago, with evidence of its use in ancient civilisations such as Egypt, Greece and China (Molan, 1992). Honey has a long history of use in wound management and has been shown to have a number of beneficial properties including antimicrobial activity, anti-inflammatory action and promotion of healing (Subrahmanyam et al., 2010). These properties make honey an attractive option for the treatment of chronic wounds, which are defined as wounds that do not heal in an orderly set time frame and are therefore subject to delayed healing or non-healing (Atiyeh et al., 2003).

Chronic wounds are a significant health problem worldwide, with an estimated prevalence of 2% in developed countries (Eggermont et al., 2012). The management of chronic wounds is a complex and costly process, with an estimated annual cost of $25 billion in the United States alone (Gethin & White, 2005). A variety of treatments are available for the management of chronic wounds, however there is still a lack of definitive evidence to guide clinicians in the most effective management strategies. This paper utilises a systematic literature review methodology to identify and appraise the current body of evidence surrounding the use of honey in dressing chronic wounds.

METHODOLOGY

A comprehensive search strategy was undertaken using CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane databases. The following search terms were used: ‘honey’, ‘wounds’, ‘chronic wounds’, ‘ulcers’. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to the identified articles to select those studies that best met the research question.