EGF is a 53 amino acid protein that binds to EGFR on cell surfaces and stimulates cell growth. This study treated 12 patients with partial thickness wounds from burns or skin grafts with a foam dressing containing rhEGF or without (control) to investigate its clinical effects. The wounds treated with rhEGF healed on average in 9.75 days compared to 11.08 days for the control wounds, with the difference being statistically significant. Thus, topical rhEGF accelerated wound healing clinically.

2. EGF
0 Human EGF is a 6045-Da protein with 53 amino acid
residues and three intramolecular disulfide bonds.
0 EGF acts by binding with
high affinity to EGFR on the
cell surface and stimulating
the intrinsic protein-tyrosine
kinase activity of the receptor.
0 Accelerate epidermal regeneration
of partial and full thickness skin wounds.

3. Background
But, the clinical use of rhEGF
in case of patients have generated some controversy in advantage.

4. Purposes
0 In this study,
0 Twelve patients had partial thickness wounds because of
burn and skin graft donor site were treated with rhEGF
0 We investigated the clinical effect of rhEGF on partial
thickness wounds of patients

5. Materials
0 Periods: Feb’08~Oct’08
0 Patients:
0 Patients that have second degree burn wounds (n=5)
0 Patients that have donor site wounds after skin graft (n=7)
0 Sex: all male
0 Age: 33.5
0 Exclusion: patients that have comorbidities,
such as DM or vascular diseases

6. Methods
0 Each wound was divided two areas (group A and B)
0 Marking 2 x 2 cm2 sized square shape
0 Treatment twice daily
0 Group A (experimental): foam dressing with rhEGF
0 Group B (control): foam dressing without rhEGF

7. Analysis
0 The extent of reepithelialized area was recorded by
percentage ratio
0 The statistical analysis was conducted about the
difference of the number of days between two area until
total wound was reepithelialized

8. Results
Patient Etiology of wound
Group A
(days)
Group B
(days)
Difference
(A-B, days)
1 Second-degree burn 10 13 -3
2 Skin graft donor site 11 11 0
3 Skin graft donor site 8 10 -2
4 Second-degree burn 11 9 2
5 Skin graft donor site 8 10 -2
6 Skin graft donor site 9 12 -3
7 Second-degree burn 12 11 1
8 Skin graft donor site 8 9 -1
9 Second-degree burn 10 12 -2
10 Skin graft donor site 9 10 -1
11 Second-degree burn 11 14 -3
12 Skin graft donor site 10 12 -2

9. Results
0 Healing time
0 Group A: 9.75 days (8-10 days)
0 Group B: 11.08 days (9-14 days)
0 Statistically significant difference between two groups (P < 0.05)

10. Conclusion
0 The topical application of rhEGF
0 Accelerated the re-epithelialization
0 Healing of partial-thickness wound clinically