Effectiveness of Alovera Gel vs 1% Silver Sulfadiazine in Superficial Partial Thickness Burn Patients in Pediatric Population.

Overview

This prospective randomized controlled study aims to compare the effectiveness of Aloe vera gel versus 1% silver sulfadiazine in the treatment of superficial and superficial partial-thickness burns in the pediatric population. Burn injuries are among the most common causes of morbidity in children, and optimal topical treatment is important for pain control, prevention of infection, and rapid wound healing. Pediatric patients presenting with superficial and superficial partial-thickness burns will be enrolled and allocated into two treatment groups. One group will receive topical Aloe vera gel, while the other group will receive 1% silver sulfadiazine dressing according to standard burn care protocols. Patients will be followed regularly to assess wound healing progress, pain, infection rate, duration of healing, frequency of dressing changes, and any treatment-related complications. The primary outcome will be time to complete wound healing, while secondary outcomes will include pain score, infection rate, hospital stay, and scar formation.

Burn injuries are a significant cause of morbidity among the pediatric population and require effective topical therapy to promote wound healing, prevent infection, reduce pain, and minimize treatment cost. Silver sulfadiazine 1% cream is commonly used as a standard topical antimicrobial agent for superficial burns; however, delayed wound healing and frequent dressing requirements have encouraged the search for alternative therapies. Aloe vera has demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, soothing, and wound-healing properties in previous studies and may serve as an effective and economical alternative in burn management. This randomized controlled trial will be conducted at The Children's Hospital \& Institute of Child Health Lahore over a duration of one year. A total of 60 pediatric patients aged 1 to 18 years presenting with superficial and superficial partial-thickness burns involving 1% to 25% total body surface area (TBSA) will be enrolled in the study. Patients will be randomly allocated into two groups by coin toss/lottery method. One group will receive topical Aloe vera gel dressing, while the second group will receive 1% silver sulfadiazine dressing. Dressings will be applied three times daily according to institutional burn care protocol. Patients will be followed for a period of 14 days to assess treatment outcomes. The primary outcome measure will be the degree and rate of re-epithelialization of burn wounds. Secondary outcome measures will include pain relief, infection rate, and cost effectiveness of treatment. Patients with burns deeper than superficial partial-thickness burns, including deep second-degree and third-degree burns, as well as patients requiring surgical intervention or presenting with major associated comorbidities, will be excluded from the study.