During a surgical ward round, you compare two patients with clean surgical wounds created 5 days ago. Patient A (age 28, no comorbidities) shows a well-approximated wound with minimal erythema, intact sutures, and a firm fibrin clot at the base. Patient B (age 68, on long-term corticosteroids for COPD) shows wound edges that are slightly separated, increased erythema, and a gelatinous, friable base with poor clot organization. Which finding best distinguishes the impaired healing in Patient B?