Methods for identifying a non-healing skin wound and for monitoring the healing of a skin wound

An in vitro method for monitoring the healing of a skin wound in an individual, the method comprising:

• a) measuring
• i) the proliferation of primary fibroblast cells in the presence of a wound exudate sample or wound biofilm sample obtained from said skin wound at a first time point, and/or
• ii) the fibroblast-derived matrix formation by primary fibroblast cells in the presence of a wound exudate sample or wound biofilm sample obtained from said skin wound at a first time point,
• b) optionally identifying the skin wound as being a non-healing skin wound at said first time point in case the value(s) obtained in a)i) and/or a)ii) is/are below a control value established in the absence of wound exudate or wound biofilm, or identifying the skin wound as being a healing skin wound at a first time point in case the value(s) obtained in a)i) and/or a)ii) is/are equal to or above a control value established in the absence of wound exudate wound biofilm,
• c) measuring
• i) the proliferation of primary fibroblast cells in the presence of a wound exudate sample or wound biofilm sample obtained from said skin wound at a second time point, and/or
• ii) the fibroblast-derived matrix formation by primary fibroblast cells in the presence of a wound exudate sample or wound biofilm sample obtained from said skin wound at a second time point,
• d) optionally identifying said skin wound as being a non-healing skin wound at said second time point, in case the value(s) obtained in c)i) and/or c)ii) is/are below a control value established in the absence of wound exudate or wound biofilm, or identifying the skin wound as being a healing skin wound at said second time point in case the value(s) obtained in c)i) and/or c)ii) is/are equal to or above a control value established in the absence of wound exudate or wound biofilm,
• e)
• A) identifying a skin wound at a second time point to exhibit improved healing in case the value obtained in c)i) at said second time point is higher than the value obtained in a)i) at said first time point, and/or the value obtained in c)ii) at said second time point is higher than the value obtained in a)ii) at said first time point, with the proviso that the value obtained in a)i) at said first time point and/or a)ii) at said first time point is equal to or below a control value established in the absence of wound exudate or wound biofilm,
• or
• B) identifying a skin wound at a second time point to exhibit worsened healing in case the value obtained in c)i) at said second time point is lower than the value obtained in a)i) at said first time point, and/or the value obtained in c)ii) at said second time point is lower than the value obtained in a)ii) at said first time point, with the proviso that the value(s) obtained in c)i) and/or c)ii) at said second time point is/are equal to or below 100% of a control value established in the absence of wound exudate or wound biofilm,
• and
• f) optionally repeating steps a) to e) at one or more later time points,
• thereby monitoring the healing of the skin wound,
• preferably
• wherein the first time point and the second time point are separated by between 6 hours and 12 months, and/or
• the values are measured at least in triplicate and/or a statistical significance is established.