Topical and systemic antimicrobial therapy for venous leg ulcers.

CLINICAL QUESTION: Is treatment with topical or systemic antimicrobial agents associated with better venous leg ulcer healing compared with usual care (dressings and bandages without antimicrobials) or an alternative topical or systemic antimicrobial agent?

BOTTOM LINE: Available evidence, from underpowered pooled data, neither supports nor refutes an association of systemic antibiotic therapy with improved venous leg ulcer healing. Among topical antimicrobials, cadexomer iodine may be associated with better healing compared with usual care.