Aspirin as an Adjuvant Treatment for Patients with Venous Leg Ulcers?

Compression therapy is the mainstay of treatment for patients with venous leg ulcers. Such patients have higher platelet counts and greater platelet reactivity than people without venous leg ulcers. Aspirin interrupts platelet activity, but whether adjuvant aspirin treatment (i.e., aspirin in addition to compression therapy) hastens leg ulcer healing is unclear. In this trial from New Zealand, 251 adults (mean age, 53) with venous leg ulcers were randomized to receive low-dose aspirin (150 mg daily) or placebo for ≥24 weeks. All patients received compression therapy (mostly high-compression bandage systems).

Median time to complete healing of the reference ulcers (the largest ulcer, if more than 1 was present) was 77 days in the aspirin grou…