Fletcher A, Cullum N, Sheldon TA.
A systematic review of compression treatment for venous leg ulcers.
BMJ. 1997 Sep 6;315(7108):576-80.

NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York.
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the clinical and cost effectiveness of compression
systems for treating venous leg ulcers. METHODS: Systematic
review of research. Search of 19 electronic databases
including Medline, CINAHL, and Embase. Relevant journals and conference
proceedings were hand searched and experts were consulted. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURES: Rate of healing and proportion of ulcers healed within a time
period. STUDY SELECTION: Randomised controlled trials, published or
unpublished, with no restriction on date or language, that evaluated
compression as a treatment for venous leg ulcers. RESULTS: 24 randomised
controlled trials were included in the review. The research evidence was
quite weak: many trials had inadequate sample size and generally poor
methodology. Compression seems to increase healing rates. Various high
compression regimens are more effective than low compression. Few trials
have compared the effectiveness of different high compression systems.
CONCLUSIONS: Compression systems improve the healing of venous leg ulcers
and should be used routinely in uncomplicated venous ulcers.
Insufficient reliable evidence exists to indicate which system is the most
effective. More good quality randomised controlled trials in
association with economic evaluations are needed, to ascertain the most cost
effective system for treating venous leg ulcers.