Effect of Chamomile Extract on Prevention of Peristomal Skin Complications

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of chamomile extract on the prevention of peristomal skin complications.

This single-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was conducted on 80 ostomy patients who were referred to Koroush Health Clinic, Isfahan, Iran. For the participants in the intervention group, chamomile extract was applied topically on the peristomal skin. For the participants in the control group, distilled water was applied as a placebo. The intervention group participants’ peristomal skin was examined using the ostomy skin tool (OST) once a week for four consecutive weeks. The peristomal skin in the control group was assessed at the beginning and the end of the study.

The intervention and control groups were not significantly different in terms of gender, marital status, educational degree, ostomy type, chemotherapy history, and radiotherapy history. The scores of the OST indicated that after the intervention, the scores of skin complications (color change, secretion, and wound) around the stoma were significantly higher in the control group than in the intervention group (P < 0.05).

Our findings showed that chamomile extract was effective in preventing peristomal skin complications and related side effects. The results of the present study can be used by health care professionals to manage peristomal skin complications.