A Comparative Study of the Dressings Silver Sulfadiazine and Aquacel Ag in the Management of Superficial Partial-Thickness Burns

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of silver sulfadiazine as compared with Aquacel Ag in patients with superficial partial-thickness burns. METHODS: Twenty-four subjects who sustained superficial partial-thickness burns who were between the ages of 19 and 53 years with time of injury from 0 to 4 days were randomly assigned into a control group (silver sulfadiazine) and experimental group (Aquacel Ag; ConvaTec, Skillman, New Jersey). Wound measurements were assessed at the time of the initial examination and every 4 days afterward until the area was re-epithelialized 100%. To ensure objectivity, the burn area was measured digitally with the software program by Aspyra (Aspyra LLC; Blue Springs, Missouri) to prevent discrepancies in wound measurements. RESULTS: Significant differences between the silver sulfadiazine and Aquacel Ag group were noted in pain (silver sulfadiazine: 4.70 +/- 2.22, Aquacel Ag: 2.92 +/- 1.12) and the number of treatments (silver sulfadiazine: 10.27 +/- 7.46, Aquacel Ag: 4.10 +/- 1.38). CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of Aquacel Ag in superficial-partial thickness burns could lead to a decrease in the number of treatments required to re-epithelialize burns 100% with less pain as compared with silver sulfadiazine.