Efficacy of Growth Factor Therapy for Wounds: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Preclinical Studies.

Abstract

Wound healing remains a complex clinical challenge, often associated with various complications. Despite the availability of multiple treatment options, a universally effective strategy for managing severe or chronic wounds has not yet been established. Growth factor (GF) therapy has emerged as a promising approach for promoting tissue repair in difficult-to-heal wounds, as evidenced by numerous preclinical investigations. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted based on preclinical animal studies to evaluate the efficacy and potential biological mechanisms of GFs in wound healing. A total of 80 studies published in English between January 1990 and April 2025 were identified through a structured search of EMBASE, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Data analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3. With the exception of two studies that did not report wound healing rate (WHR) data, the remaining 78 studies consistently demonstrated that GF treatment significantly enhanced WHR compared with controls (n = 2031, standardized mean difference = 2.62, 95% confidence interval: 2.22-3.01). Subgroup analyses explored the influence of wound type, GF type, wound size, dosage, mode of administration, type of placebo, and animal model on treatment outcomes, revealing that GF therapy was particularly effective in infectious wounds and pressure ulcers. Although angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression are secondary outcome measures indirectly reflecting the wound healing process, the present meta-analysis demonstrates that growth factor therapy significantly enhances these reparative biological processes.