Correlation Between Bacteria Count Using a Rapid Bacterium Counting System and Changes in Wound Area on Diabetic Foot Ulcers in Indonesia: A Prospective Study

This study aimed to clarify the correlation between changes in bacterial number and wound area in diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). This study used a prospective longitudinal cohort design. A total of 30 participants met the inclusion criteria. Changes in bacterial number and wound area were evaluated weekly until week 4. The chi-square test indicated no significant correlation between biofilm formation and wound area (p = 0.32) but a significant correlation between bacterial count and wound area (p = 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed a significant correlation between bacterial count and changes in wound area (odds ratio, 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.372-0.997; p = 0.04). The receiver operating characteristic analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.660 (95% CI, 0.52-0.79; p = 0.03) with a sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 88%. The present prospective longitudinal cohort study demonstrated the correlation between bacterial count changes and wound area in DFUs. Our results suggest that changes in bacterial count could help wound healing evaluations.

Therapeutic potential of adipose-derived stem cells for diabetic foot ulcers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

As the global prevalence of diabetes mellitus increases, the incidence of non-healing wounds in diabetic patients is expected to rise significantly, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), around 537 million adults currently suffer from diabetes mellitus worldwide and 20% to 30% of individuals with diabetes are hospitalized due to diabetic foot ulcers. Conventional treatments such as traditional dressings often fall short in ensuring satisfactory wound healing, this Meta-analysis investigates the therapeutic potential of Adipose-derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) as a promising strategy for addressing this challenge.

AIMS

To Assess the Therapeutic Potential of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells for Managing Diabetic Foot Ulcers compared to conventional lines of treatments.

METHODS

The PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov. databases were searched from January 2000 and December 2023, articles were primarily evaluated regarding their titles and abstracts, then full-text screening was assessed against the inclusion and exclusion criteria by utilizing Rayyan software. The Cochrane risk of bias (RoB 2) assessment tool was used to identify the risk of bias in our included studies. A statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager (RevMan) Version 5 software. Dichotomous data was subjected to risk ratio analysis, while continuous data underwent Mean Difference (MD) evaluation, all was reported with 95% confidence intervals, P value is considered statistically significant if less than 0.05.

RESULTS

Regarding the total healing state, five studies reported that more participants healed completely at the end of the follow-up period in the ADSCs group (Risk ratio = 1.56, 95% CI [1.32, 1.86], P < 0.00001), for the healing rate the overall effect estimate favors the ADSCs group (pooled effect estimate = 1.84, 95% CI [1.51, 2.89], P < 0.00001), and regarding the healing time the pooled mean difference of the studies demonstrated that the ADSCs group required fewer days to heal than the standard care group. (pooled mean difference = -19.33, 95% CI [-37.36, -1.29], P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

ADSCs provide favorable healing results and safety compared to standard care for diabetic foot ulcers.

Biomarkers of local inflammation at the skin's surface may predict both pressure and diabetic foot ulcers

This commentary considers the similarities which exist between pressure ulcers (PUs) and diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). It aims to describe what is known to be shared-both in theory and practice-by these wound types. It goes on to detail the literature surrounding the role of inflammation in both wound types. PUs occur following prolonged exposure to pressure or pressure in conjunction with shear, either due to impaired mobility or medical devices. As a result, inflammation occurs, causing cell damage. While DFUs are not associated with immobility, they are associated with altered mobility occurring as a result of complications of diabetes. The incidence and prevalence of both types of lesions are increased in the presence of multimorbidity. The prediction of either type of ulceration is challenging. Current risk assessment practices are reported to be ineffective at predicting when ulceration will occur. While systemic inflammation is easily measured, the presence of local or subclinical inflammation is harder to discern. In patients at risk of either DFUs or PUs, clinical signs and symptoms of inflammation may be masked, and systemic biomarkers of inflammation may not be elevated sufficiently to predict imminent damage until ulceration appears. The current literature suggests that the use of local biomarkers of inflammation at the skin's surface, namely oedema and temperature, may identify early tissue damage.

Diabetic Foot Care: Assessing the Knowledge and Practices of Diabetic Patients at Aldaraga Centre, Gezira State, Sudan, 2021

Introduction

Improving diabetic patients' foot care behaviours is crucial in the incidence reduction of diabetic foot ulceration-associated complications.

Objective

This study assessed the knowledge and practice of diabetic patients towards diabetic foot care and their general understanding of diabetes causes, complications, and treatment.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted at Aldaraga Clinic Centre, Sudan, with a sample size of 100 diabetic patients. A questionnaire and checklist were used to collect data for this study. The data was analyzed through SPSS Version 16 software.

Results

The majority of respondents were females (62%), above 40 years old (66%), married, with a low educational level, and moderate-income (76%). The study revealed that most respondents did not attend any educational program about diabetes, indicating poor or no knowledge about diabetes mellitus. However, respondents had good knowledge of most signs and symptoms of diabetes, with the highest percentage (88%) for extreme thirst. Concerning the knowledge of respondents about complications of diabetes, it was generally poor, except for retinal diseases (70%). Participants' knowledge of signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia was found to be poor at 25%. The study showed that most respondents did not know what diabetes gangrene is. Foot infections were the most dominant cause of hospitalization among diabetic patients, often leading to amputations.

Conclusion

Enhancing foot care behaviours in diabetic patients is crucial to reduce diabetic foot ulceration risks. Patient-friendly educational interventions and regular physician reinforcement are urgently needed, including awareness programs, specialized diabetes centres, and health education through mass media to improve foot care practices and prevent complications like amputations.

Protocol for metadata and image collection at diabetic foot ulcer clinics: enabling research in wound analytics and deep learning

BACKGROUND

The escalating impact of diabetes and its complications, including diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), presents global challenges in quality of life, economics, and resources, affecting around half a billion people. DFU healing is hindered by hyperglycemia-related issues and diverse diabetes-related physiological changes, necessitating ongoing personalized care. Artificial intelligence and clinical research strive to address these challenges by facilitating early detection and efficient treatments despite resource constraints. This study establishes a standardized framework for DFU data collection, introducing a dedicated case report form, a comprehensive dataset named Zivot with patient population clinical feature breakdowns and a baseline for DFU detection using this dataset and a UNet architecture.

RESULTS

Following this protocol, we created the Zivot dataset consisting of 269 patients with active DFUs, and about 3700 RGB images and corresponding thermal and depth maps for the DFUs. The effectiveness of collecting a consistent and clean dataset was demonstrated using a bounding box prediction deep learning network that was constructed with EfficientNet as the feature extractor and UNet architecture. The network was trained on the Zivot dataset, and the evaluation metrics showed promising values of 0.79 and 0.86 for F1-score and mAP segmentation metrics.

CONCLUSIONS

This work and the Zivot database offer a foundation for further exploration of holistic and multimodal approaches to DFU research.

Correlation study of renal function indices with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy in T2DM patients with normal renal function

Background

The anticipation of diabetes-related complications remains a challenge for numerous T2DM patients, as there is presently no effective method for early prediction of these complications. This study aims to investigate the association between renal function-related indicators and the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy and retinopathy in individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who currently have normal renal function.

Methods

Patients with T2DM who met the criteria were selected from the MMC database and divided into diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) groups, with a total of 859 and 487 patients included, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), uric acid (UA), urine albumin(ALB), albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and diabetic peripheral neuropathy and retinopathy. Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between these indicators and peripheral neuropathy and retinopathy in diabetes.

Results

In a total of 221 patients diagnosed with DPN, we found positive correlation between the prevalence of DPN and eGFR (18.2, 23.3, 35.7%, p < 0.05). Specifically, as BUN (T1: references; T2:OR:0.598, 95%CI: 0.403, 0.886; T3:OR:1.017, 95%CI: 0.702, 1.473; p < 0.05) and eGFR (T1: references; T2:OR:1.294, 95%CI: 0.857, 1.953; T3:OR:2.142, 95%CI: 1.425, 3.222; p < 0.05) increased, the odds ratio of DPN also increased. Conversely, with an increase in Cr(T1: references; T2:OR:0.86, 95%CI: 0.56, 1.33; T3:OR:0.57, 95%CI: 0.36, 0.91; p < 0.05), the odds ratio of DPN decreased. Furthermore, when considering sensitivity and specificity, eGFR exhibited a sensitivity of 65.2% and specificity of 54.4%, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.568-0.656.

Conclusion

In this experimental sample, we found a clear positive correlation between eGFR and DPN prevalence.

Foot Care among Diabetes Patients: A Concept Analysis

Background: The concept analysis of “foot care” is essential for expanding the nursing knowledge base, synthesizing a broader theoretical concept, and guiding more effective care for diabetes patients with and without diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). Foot care in nursing has not yet been comprehensively defined for nurses and other healthcare professionals.Purpose: This concept analysis aimed to elucidate the nursing practice concept of foot care. The study identified surrogate terms associated with the concepts, attributes, antecedents, and consequences by employing Rodger’s evolutionary method in a critical analysis of the relevant literature.Methods: This research used Rodger’s evolutionary analysis. The databases were PubMed (n=188), ProQuest (n=4,790), ScienceDirect (n=292), and Google Scholar (n=7,810) with a total of 13,080 articles identified in this study. The screening process involved evaluating titles and abstracts, followed by a thorough analysis of inclusion criteria, which included full-text articles and the presence of keywords: foot care, diabetes, diabetic foot ulcer. Articles that did not provide a clear definition of foot care were excluded. A total of 45 articles were included. Rodger’s evolutionary analysis stressed inductive investigation and careful analysis of the concept.Results: The results of the foot care concept analysis were: (1) among people with diabetes without DFU, the attributes were foot screening and foot examination, while the antecedents were high glycemic levels, inability of the pancreas to produce insulin, abnormal foot skin condition, and foot-related behaviors; (2) among patients with DFU, the attributes were foot intervention and education, while the antecedents included foot self-care knowledge, motivation, and family and social support. The consequences associated with the concept of foot care included improvement in self-efficacy, quality of life, and self-care behavior.Conclusion: Nurses can use the findings of this foot care analysis in their clinical work by promoting and practicing foot care as a preventative measure that shields patients from ulcers. Additionally, nurses can intervene when patients already have ulcers and provide appropriate wound care. Foot examinations become more manageable when specific practice guidelines are available for diabetes patients.

A new algorithm for the management of diabetic foot ulcer: recommendations from Central and Eastern Europe

There is wide regional variation in clinical practice and access to treatment for patients with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) from countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). A treatment algorithm that reflects current treatment practices while providing a common framework may facilitate best practice in DFU management and improve outcomes across the CEE region. Following a series of regional advisory board meetings with experts from Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Croatia, we present consensus recommendations for the management of DFU and outline the key features of a unified algorithm for dissemination and use as a quick tool in clinical practice in CEE. The algorithm should be accessible to specialists as well as non-specialist clinicians and should incorporate: patient screening; checkpoints for assessment and referral; triggers of treatment change; and strategies for infection control, wound bed preparation and offloading. Among adjunctive treatments in DFU, there is a clear role for topical oxygen therapy, which can be used concomitantly with most existing treatment regimens in hard-to-heal wounds following standard of care. Countries from CEE face a number of challenges in the management of DFU. It is hoped that such an algorithm will help standardise the approach to DFU management and overcome some of these challenges. Ultimately, a regionwide treatment algorithm in CEE has the potential to improve clinical outcomes and save limbs.

The effect of high-voltage monophasic pulsed current on diabetic ulcers and their potential pathophysiologic factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The present review was conducted to determine the efficacy of high-voltage monophasic pulsed current (HVMPC) in treating diabetic ulcers, assess its effect on skin lesions with each of the pathophysiologic factors potentially contributing to diabetic ulcers, evaluate its safety, and identify treatment parameters. Electronic search of PubMed, Scopus, PEDro and Google Scholar databases was conducted. The revised tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials (RoB 2), the risk of bias in non-randomised studies-of interventions (ROBINS-I) and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool were used to assess risk of bias and methodological quality. Overall quality of evidence was determined using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) principles. Thirty-two studies matched the eligibility criteria, and included 1061 patients with 1103 skin lesions of selected aetiologies; 12 randomised controlled trials were included in quantitative synthesis. HVMPC plus standard wound care (SWC) likely increased the probability of complete wound healing of pressure ulcers (PrUs) compared with sham/no stimulation plus SWC; relative risk (RR) 2.08; 95% CI: [1.42, 3.04], p = 0.0002; I²  = 0%, p = 0.61; eight studies, 358 ulcers. Although conclusive evidence regarding the effect of HVMPC on diabetic ulcers was not found, collateral evidence might suggest a potential benefit. Direct evidence, with moderate certainty, may support its efficacy in treating PrUs, albeit few adverse reactions were reported. Other observations, moreover, might indicate that this efficacy may not be limited to PrUs. Nonetheless, several aspects remain to be clarified for safe and effective application of electrical stimulation for wound healing.

Evaluation of the effect of a gel made with amniotic fluid formulation on the healing of diabetic foot ulcers: A triple-blind clinical trial

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a gel made with amniotic fluid (AF) formulation on wound healing in diabetic foot ulcers.

Methods

This clinical trial was performed on 92 type 2 diabetic patients referring to the Diabetes Clinic of Golestan Hospital of Ahvaz, southwest of Iran in 2019-2020. Patients were randomly divided into three groups of intervention and one placebo group. The wounds of the three intervention groups were dressed with gauze impregnated with an AF formulation gel while wounds of the control group were dressed with plain gauze without any topical agent. Chi-square tests and generalized estimating equations (GEE) with a significance level of 0.05 were used to analyze the data.

Results

At the end of the eighth week of intervention, there was a statistically significant difference among the four groups in terms of wound grade, wound color, condition of the tissues surrounding the wound, the overall condition of the wound, and the duration of wound healing (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Based on our experience with the patients in the present study, we believe that AF represents a useful and safe option for the treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers.

Clinical trial registration

https://en.irct.ir/trial/51551, Identifier: IRCT20201010048985N1.

Translational development of ABCB5+ dermal mesenchymal stem cells for therapeutic induction of angiogenesis in non-healing diabetic foot ulcers

Background

While rapid healing of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) is highly desirable to avoid infections, amputations and life-threatening complications, DFUs often respond poorly to standard treatment. GMP-manufactured skin-derived ABCB5⁺ mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) might provide a new adjunctive DFU treatment, based on their remarkable skin wound homing and engraftment potential, their ability to adaptively respond to inflammatory signals, and their wound healing-promoting efficacy in mouse wound models and human chronic venous ulcers.

Methods

The angiogenic potential of ABCB5⁺ MSCs was characterized with respect to angiogenic factor expression at the mRNA and protein level, in vitro endothelial trans-differentiation and tube formation potential, and perfusion-restoring capacity in a mouse hindlimb ischemia model. Finally, the efficacy and safety of ABCB5⁺ MSCs for topical adjunctive treatment of chronic, standard therapy-refractory, neuropathic plantar DFUs were assessed in an open-label single-arm clinical trial.

Results

Hypoxic incubation of ABCB5⁺ MSCs led to posttranslational stabilization of the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor 1α (HIF-1α) and upregulation of HIF-1α mRNA levels. HIF-1α pathway activation was accompanied by upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) transcription and increase in VEGF protein secretion. Upon culture in growth factor-supplemented medium, ABCB5⁺ MSCs expressed the endothelial-lineage marker CD31, and after seeding on gel matrix, ABCB5⁺ MSCs demonstrated formation of capillary-like structures comparable with human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Intramuscularly injected ABCB5⁺ MSCs to mice with surgically induced hindlimb ischemia accelerated perfusion recovery as measured by laser Doppler blood perfusion imaging and enhanced capillary proliferation and vascularization in the ischemic muscles. Adjunctive topical application of ABCB5⁺ MSCs onto therapy-refractory DFUs elicited median wound surface area reductions from baseline of 59% (full analysis set, n = 23), 64% (per-protocol set, n = 20) and 67% (subgroup of responders, n = 17) at week 12, while no treatment-related adverse events were observed.

Conclusions

The present observations identify GMP-manufactured ABCB5⁺ dermal MSCs as a potential, safe candidate for adjunctive therapy of otherwise incurable DFUs and justify the conduct of a larger, randomized controlled trial to validate the clinical efficacy.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03267784, Registered 30 August 2017, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03267784

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-022-03156-9.

Treatment of diabetic foot ulcers: review of the literature with regard to the TIME clinical decision support tool

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this clinically orientated paper is to offer an overview of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) dressings generally, and more specifically, their use in the treatment of DFUs.

METHOD

The TIME clinical decision support tool (CDST) has been used as a clinical tool that can help clinicians bring together the different aspects of dressings for DFU treatment into a holistic approach to patient care.

RESULTS

DFUs are often difficult to heal, are painful and impact negatively on the individual's quality of life. Most DFU dressings are designed to support the healing of hard-to-heal wounds and represent one part of the management of DFUs. Apart from providing a moist environment, absorbing increased exudate, enhancing granulation and assisting in autolysis, the dressings need to be cost-effective. Wound dressing selection is based on clinical knowledge that ensures the dressing is most appropriate for the individual and the wound, taking into account the comorbidities that the individual may have.

CONCLUSION

This paper has highlighted how the use of the TIME CDST model can enhance clinical care and is a further tool clinicians should consider when developing and executing DFU treatment plans. Future research needs to focus on large multicentre studies using robust methodologies, given the current gaps in the evidence, to determine the effectiveness of dressing products for DFUs.

Longitudinal physiological remoulding of lower limb skin as a cause of diabetic foot ulcer: a histopathological examination

OBJECTIVE

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is recognised as a severe complication in patients with type 2 diabetes. With the increasing incidence of diabetes, it represents a major medical challenge. Several models have been proposed to explain its aetiology; however, they have never been assessed by longitudinal histopathological examination, which this study aims to address.

METHOD

Multiplex-immunofluorescence analysis was carried out with lengthwise serial skin specimens obtained from the medial thigh, lower leg, ankle, dorsum of foot and acrotarsium close to the DFU region of a patient with type 2 diabetes receiving above the knee amputation.

RESULTS

Proximal-to-distal gradual loss of peripheral nerve was demonstrated, accompanied by compromised capillaries in the superficial papillary plexus and distended CD31-positive capillaries in the dorsum of foot. Neural fibres and capillaries were also significantly compromised in the sweat gland acinus in the ankle and dorsum of foot. Injuries in the superficial papillary plexus, sweat gland acinus, and sweat gland-associated adipose tissues were accompanied by significant infiltration of macrophages. These results indicated that longitudinal impairment of local blood circulation could be the cause of peripheral neuropathy, which initiated ulcer formation. Resultant chronic inflammation, involving sweat gland-associated adipose tissue, gave rise to impairment of wound healing, and thus DFU formation.

CONCLUSION

Longitudinal histopathological examination demonstrated that impairment of local microvascular circulation (rather than the systemic complication caused by type 2 diabetes) was considered the primary cause of peripheral neuropathy, which initiated ulceration. Together with chronic inflammation in the superficial papillary plexus and sweat gland-associated adipose tissue, it resulted in the development of a DFU. Although this is a study of just one individual's limb, our study provided a unique observation, contributing mechanistic insights into developing novel intervening strategies to prevent and treat DFUs.

Diabetes mellitus and diabetic foot ulcer: Etiology, biochemical and molecular based treatment strategies via gene and nanotherapy

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a collection of metabolic and pathophysiological disorders manifested with high glucose levels in the blood due to the inability of β-pancreatic cells to secrete an adequate amount of insulin or insensitivity of insulin towards receptor to oxidize blood glucose. Nevertheless, the preceding definition is only applicable to people who do not have inherited or metabolic disorders. Suppose a person who has been diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2DM sustains an injury and the treatment of the damage is complicated and prolonged. In that case, the injury is referred to as a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). In the presence of many proliferating macrophages in the injury site for an extended period causes the damage to worsen and become a diabetic wound. In this review, the scientific information and therapeutic management of DM/DFU with nanomedicine, and other related data were collected (Web of Science and PubMed) from January 2000 to January 2022. Most of the articles revealed that standard drugs are usually prescribed along with hypoglycaemic medications. Conversely, such drugs stabilize the glucose transporters and homeostasis for a limited period, resulting in side effects such as kidney damage/failure, absorption/gastrointestinal problems, and hypoglycemic issues. In this paper, we review the current basic and clinical evidence about the potential of medicinal plants, gene therapy, chemical/green synthesized nanoparticles to improving the metabolic profile, and facilitating the DM and DFU associated complications. Preclinical studies also reported lower plasma glucose with molecular targets in DM and DFU. Research is underway to explore chemical/green synthesized nanoparticle-based medications to avoid such side effects. Hence, the present review is intended to address the current challenges, recently recognized factors responsible for DM and DFU, their pathophysiology, insulin receptors associated with DM, medications in trend, and related complications.

"When nothing happens, nobody is afraid!" beliefs and perceptions around self-care and health-seeking behaviours: Voices of patients living with diabetic lower extremity amputation in primary care

Self-management and self-care are the cornerstone of diabetes care and an essential part of successfully preventing or delaying diabetes complications. Yet, despite being armed with the required information and guidance for self-management, self-care and adherence to foot self-care recommendations and compliance to medication among patients with diabetic foot ulcer and diabetic lower extremity amputations remain low and suboptimal. This study reveals in-depth account of nine such patients' beliefs and perceptions around their illness, their self-care, and their health-seeking behaviours. Patients living with diabetic lower extremity amputation displayed profound lack of knowledge of self-care of diabetes and foot and passive health-related behaviours. The overarching sense that "when nothing happens, nobody is afraid," points to a lack of motivation in taking charge of one's own health, whether this is with reference to treatment or care adherence, following recommended self-care advice, or seeking timely treatment. The Health Beliefs Model provides the theoretical framework for probing into the factors for the participants' suboptimal self-care and passive health-seeking behaviours. Two themes emerged from data analysis: profound knowledge deficit and passive health-related behaviours. The beliefs and perceptions around self-care and health-seeking behaviours for patients with lower extremity amputation are interpreted as the "ignorant self" with passive health-seeking behaviours. Patients with diabetes and diabetic foot diseases may benefit from personalized education, motivational interviewing, and family support.

Photobiomodulation as an Adjunct Therapy in Wound Healing

"Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation" or more commonly known as Laser has become very popular in the field of dermatology and aesthetic medicine over the past decades. For the treatment of wound healing, a combination of different wavelengths for laser therapy has been introduced which includes 660, 800, and 970 nm. The aim of this study was to note wound healing utilizing photobiomodulation as an adjunct therapy by measuring the wound size in terms of length and width (area measurement). Study participants were selected randomly from a pool of patients who were attending for their routine follow-up visits in the Wound Care Unit in Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Eleven patients with chronic wounds of different etiologies, ie, diabetic foot ulcer and nonhealing ulcer, were recruited for this study . Wound assessment was done prior to cleansing using distilled water and followed by debridement if necessary. Subsequently, the laser technician and patients used protective goggles before applying a super intense continuous flow of laser with 3 wavelengths, ie, 660, 800, and 970 nm with 30 kJ of energy with the handpiece over a 3 min period whereby it is focused on the wound milieu and then rotated around the periwound area. There were 9 diabetic foot ulcers and 2 nonhealing ulcers treated with photobiomodulation as an adjunct therapy. All wounds were managed with the standard of care. Three wounds ie, 3 diabetic foot ulcers and 1 nonhealing ulcer were closed completely. Meanwhile, the other 7 ulcers are at 68.2% to 99% in terms of wound area reduction and new granulomatous tissue was present indicating high healing potential. Therefore, the photobiomodulation was effective as an adjunct in the management of diabetic foot and nonhealing ulcers in this case series. A larger sample size would be able to show the significance of this finding.

Prediction of Diabetic Foot Ulceration: The Value of Using Microclimate Sensor Arrays

BACKGROUND

Accurately predicting the risk of diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) could dramatically reduce the enormous burden of chronic wound management and amputation. Yet, the current prognostic models are unable to precisely predict DFU events. Typically, efforts have focused on individual factors like temperature, pressure, or shear rather than the overall foot microclimate.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed reports with no restrictions on start date covering the literature published until February 20, 2019 using relevant keywords, including temperature, pressure, shear, and relative humidity. We review the use of these variables as predictors of DFU, highlighting gaps in our current understanding and suggesting which specific features should be combined to develop a real-time microclimate prognostic model.

RESULTS

The current prognostic models rely either solely on contralateral temperature, pressure, or shear measurement; these parameters, however, rarely reach 50% specificity in relation to DFU. There is also considerable variation in methodological investigation, anatomical sensor configuration, and resting time prior to temperature measurements (5-20 minutes). Few studies have considered relative humidity and mean skin resistance.

CONCLUSION

Very limited evidence supports the use of single clinical parameters in predicting the risk of DFU. We suggest that the microclimate as a whole should be considered to predict DFU more effectively and suggest nine specific features which appear to be implicated for further investigation. Technology supports real-time in-shoe data collection and wireless transmission, providing a potentially rich source of data to better predict the risk of DFU.