Comparison of the Effect of Aloe Vera Gel with Normal Saline on the Healing of Second-Degree Pressure Ulcers

Abstract

Introduction: Today, pressure ulcers have become one of the serious problems in the treatment and care of patients, which, in addition to delaying the recovery of the patient, imposes a lot of costs on the patient and his family. This research was conducted with the aim of comparing the effect of dressing with aloe vera gel and normal saline on the healing of pressure ulcers in patients hospitalized in the medical centers of Arak city. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial that was conducted in 1400 in Amir al-Mominin and Wali Asr (AS) hospitals in Arak. 60 patients with grade 2 pressure ulcers were selected and after obtaining informed written consent, divided into two experimental and control groups (normal saline) by a simple random method. The intervention group was dressed with aloe vera gel with a diameter of 5 mm, and the control group was dressed with normal saline. After obtaining written informed consent from the two groups, parameters related to the wound were examined on the first, seventh and fifteenth day using the Betts Jensen wound assessment tool. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 17 statistical software and REMANOVA and Chi-2 statistical test. Results: The mean and standard deviation before and on the fifteenth day of aloe vera gel in the intervention group were 30.896 ± 0.518 and 13.658 ± 0.617 respectively and in the control group (normal saline) 31.329 ± 0.381 and ± 0.584 respectively, which had a significant difference on the 15th day, (F=487/512, P = 0.000). Conclusions: Dressing with aloe vera gel accelerated the healing process of pressure ulcer compared to dressing with normal saline; Therefore, due to the absence of side effects, ease of preparation and easy application of aloe vera gel, its use can be useful in healing pressure ulcers.