Volume 33, Issue 8 e15149
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Wound area severity index (WASI): A novel tool for assessing and predicting healing times in hidradenitis suppurativa postsurgical wounds

Alessandra Michelucci

Corresponding Author

Alessandra Michelucci

Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

Interdisciplinary Center of Health Science, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

Correspondence

Alessandra Michelucci, Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, Pisa, Pi 56 126, Italy.

Email: [email protected]

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Flavia Manzo Margiotta

Flavia Manzo Margiotta

Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

Interdisciplinary Center of Health Science, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

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Silvia Innocenti

Silvia Innocenti

Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

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Antonella Vietina

Antonella Vietina

Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

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Giammarco Granieri

Giammarco Granieri

Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

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Agata Janowska

Agata Janowska

Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

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Riccardo Morganti

Riccardo Morganti

Statistical Support to Clinical Trials Department, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

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Marco Romanelli

Marco Romanelli

Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

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Valentina Dini

Valentina Dini

Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

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First published: 30 July 2024

Abstract

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) presents challenges in management due to its chronic nature and high risk of recurrence. Post-surgical wound care plays a crucial role in treatment, even if standardized methods for assessing and predicting healing times are lacking. The aim of the study is to introduce the Wound Area Severity Index (WASI) as a novel tool to guide clinicians in assessing postsurgical wound progression and predicting potential healing times. A team of wound healing experts assessed 93 post-surgical HS wounds resulting from wide excision and secondary intention healing. For each wound healing time, wound area, wound bed score (WBS), and WASI were evaluated. WASI includes four parameters: area, temperature, depth and wound Bed, each with four severity levels. The total WASI score ranges from 4 to 16. Spearman correlation and Kruskal–Wallis tests were employed for statistical analysis. WASI strongly correlated with wound healing time (rho: 0.813, p < 0.001). Higher WASI scores were associated with prolonged healing, while lower scores indicated almost healed wounds. The WASI score has proven to be more highly predictive of healing times when compared to the individual parameter of the Area (moderate positive correlation, r: 0.77) and the WBS (negative correlation, r: −0.72). A total WASI score of 4 corresponded to a median healing time of 7 days, while a score exceeding 9 suggested a median healing time of 56 days. WASI has proven to be a valuable tool for assessing and predicting healing times in post-surgical HS wounds. Its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and ability to integrate multiple parameters make it a promising addition to wound care practice.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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