Bacterial population of chronic crural ulcers: is there a difference between the diabetic, the venous, and the arterial ulcer?
A positive bacterial wound smear is not inevitably correlated with a protracted leg ulcer healing. Nevertheless a fulminant infection often developed in diabetic ulcers despite the initial inability to demonstrate bacterial growth. In order to start antibiotic treatment as early as possible, a wound smear should be obtained routinely from patients with diabetic ulcers. In chronic venous ulcers, a routine swab does not appear to be indicated as it bears no clinical consequences. The same applies to patients with surgically fully treated peripheral arterial occlusive disease. As ischemia presents the limiting factor, antibiotic therapy in case of infection will not prevent imminent amputation.
Our data indicate that FAO attenuates inflammatory and ER stress responses in SFA-exposed macrophages, suggesting an anti-inflammatory impact of drugs that activate FAO.