Nile tilapia skin in the treatment of second-degree burns: a systematic review with meta-analysis

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Abstract
Objective: Systematically review the effects of using Nile tilapia skin (NTFS) for management/treatment in patients with second-degree skin burns, when compared with two treatments containing silver, hydrofiber dressing or sulfadiazine cream (AgSD). Methodology: Systematic review with meta-analysis performed in january 2023, using PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane and Gale databases, to identify relevant randomized clinical trials. Results: In total, five randomized trials were identified comparing the use of NTFS with two types of silver-based treatment of second-degree skin burns. Occlusive dressings with NTFS significantly reduced pain levels, measured using the Visual Analogue Scale - VAS (p=0.0008), time (measured in days) for complete wound healing, corresponding to re-epithelialization of 95% or more of the initial burn (p=0.002), and the number of dressings needed until complete healing of the burn (p=0.0004). Conclusion: The results confirm the positive effects of using the NTFS dressing on patients with second-degree burns and can benefit public health systems, especially in developing and resource-poor countries.