Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42220094›Full record

SynthesisInternational wound journal2026

The Underlying Mechanisms and Role of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Chronic Diabetic Wound Healing: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Roxana Moscalu, Mihaela Moscalu, Adam J Reid, Marco Domingos, Adam Stevens, Jason K F Wong

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International wound journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Roxana MoscaluBlond McIndoe Laboratories, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
Mihaela MoscaluDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Interdisciplinarity, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iassy, Romania.
Adam J ReidBlond McIndoe Laboratories, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
Marco DomingosSchool of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Adam StevensTommy's Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, 5th Floor St. Mary's Hospital, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Jason K F WongBlond McIndoe Laboratories, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Although Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) has been increasingly used in wound care to improve impaired healing, there is little scientific evidence supporting its role and underlying biomolecular mechanisms. Aims of the present study are to provide a quantitative analysis of recent literature investigating NPWT in diabetic wound healing focusing on healing duration, wound closure, hospitalisation period and complications, and qualitative insight into studies analysing biomolecular mechanisms. The systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42024524813). 21 studies published in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE between 2019 and 2024 were included. Clinical studies indicated NPWT was superior to standard care dressings (SCD), promoting faster wound healing with significantly reduced hospitalisation times by 7.8 days (95% CI: -14.2 to -1.4, p = 0.017), and significantly reduced complications rates, particularly major and minor amputations (95% CI: -10.2 to -1.3, p = 0.01). Mechanistic in vitro and animal studies highlighted NPWT can reduce local inflammation, oxidative stress, support angiogenesis and improve scarring, essential components of normal healing. Although studies suggest NPWT is more effective than SCD for diabetic wound healing, the paucity of studies, small cohorts and scarce outcomes consistency make defining clear conclusions challenging. There is still more evidence required to fully understand NPWT's role in the complex diabetic wound healing.

Indexed as

Diabetic FootNegative-Pressure Wound TherapyWound HealingAgedAnimalsChronic DiseaseFemaleHumansMaleMiddle Agedchronic wound healingdiabetesdiabetic foot ulcersNPWT

Identifiers

PMID42220094
PMCPMC13239881

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.