Hyperbaric oxygen: applications in infectious disease

This article reviews the applications of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) as an adjunctive treatment of certain infectious processes. Infections for which HBO has been studied and is recommended by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society include necrotizing fasciitis, gas gangrene, chronic refractory osteomyelitis (including malignant otitis externa), mucormycosis, intracranial abscesses, and diabetic foot ulcers that have concomitant infections. In all of these processes, HBO is used adjunctively along with antimicrobial agents and aggressive surgical debridement. This article describes the details of each infection and the research that supports the use of HBO.     

高压氧辅助治疗糖尿病足溃疡的系统评价

目的系统评价高压氧辅助治疗糖尿病足溃疡的临床疗效和安全性。方法计算机检索h e Cochrane Library（2014年第1期）、Pub Med、EMbase、CBM、VIP、CNKI和Wan Fang Data数据库,纳入关于高压氧辅助治疗糖尿病足溃疡的随机对照试验（RCT）,检索时限均截至2014年1月。由2位研究者独立按照纳入与排除标准筛选文献、提取资料和评价纳入研究的方法学质量后,采用Rev Man 5.2软件进行Meta分析。结果共纳入14个RCT,合计910例患者。Meta分析结果显示：高压氧联合常规治疗在糖尿病足溃疡愈合率[RR=2.16,95%CI（1.43,3.26）,P=0.000 3]、大截肢发生率[RR=0.20,95%CI（0.10,0.38）,P〈0.000 01]、溃疡面积减少[MD=1.73,95%CI（1.34,2.11）,P〈0.000 01]和经皮氧分压改善情况[MD=14.75,95%CI（2.01,27.48）,P=0.02]等方面均优于常规治疗,但在小截肢发生率方面不优于常规治疗[RR=0.70,95%CI（0.24,2.11）,P=0.53]。此外,高压氧联合常规治疗无严重治疗相关副作用及并发症发生。结论当前证据表明,高压氧辅助治疗糖尿病足溃疡可能促进溃疡愈合和减少大截肢发生率。     

Adjunctive granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy for diabetic foot infections

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of diabetic foot infections in non-neutropenic patients. DATA SOURCES: Clinical literature was accessed through MEDLINE (1965-April 2004). Key search terms included G-CSF, infection, and diabetes. In addition, relevant references from primary and secondary article bibliographies were extracted. DATA SYNTHESIS: Three clinical trials evaluating G-CSF for diabetic foot infections were identified. These data demonstrated positive effects of G-CSF on improvement of foot infections and risk of amputations. CONCLUSIONS: Controlled trials are necessary to validate the role of adjunctive G-CSF at reducing amputations in patients with diabetic foot infections.     

Hyperbaric oxygenation accelerates the healing rate of nonischemic chronic diabetic foot ulcers: a prospective randomized study

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of systemic hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) therapy on the healing course of nonischemic chronic diabetic foot ulcers. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: From 1999 to 2000, 28 patients (average age 60.2 +/- 9.7 years, diabetes duration 18.2 +/- 6.6 years), of whom 87% had type 2 diabetes, demonstrating chronic Wagner grades I-III foot ulcers without clinical symptoms of arteriopathy, were studied. They were randomized to undergo HBO because their ulcers did not improve over 3 months of full standard treatment. All the patients demonstrated signs of neuropathy. HBO was applied twice a day, 5 days a week for 2 weeks; each session lasted 90 min at 2.5 ATA (absolute temperature air). The main parameter studied was the size of the foot ulcer measured on tracing graphs with a computer. It was evaluated before HBO and at day 15 and 30 after the baseline. RESULTS: HBO was well tolerated in all but one patient (barotraumatic otitis). The transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcPO(2)) measured on the dorsum of the feet of the patients was 45.6 +/- 18.1 mmHg (room air). During HBO, the TcPO(2) measured around the ulcer increased significantly from 21.9 +/- 12.1 to 454.2 +/- 128.1 mmHg (P < 0.001). At day 15 (i.e., after completion of HBO), the size of ulcers decreased significantly in the HBO group (41.8 +/- 25.5 vs. 21.7 +/- 16.9% in the control group [P = 0.037]). Such a difference could no longer be observed at day 30 (48.1 +/- 30.3 vs. 41.7 +/- 27.3%). Four weeks later, complete healing was observed in two patients having undergone HBO and none in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to standard multidisciplinary management, HBO doubles the mean healing rate of nonischemic chronic foot ulcers in selected diabetic patients. The time dependence of the effect of HBO warrants further investigations.     

Lack of Effectiveness of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcer and the Prevention of Amputation: A cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) is a device that is used to treat foot ulcers. The study goal was to compare the effectiveness of HBO with other conventional therapies administered in a wound care network for the treatment of a diabetic foot ulcer and prevention of lower-extremity amputation.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a longitudinal observational cohort study. To address treatment selection bias, we used propensity scores to determine the “propensity” that an individual was selected to receive HBO.

RESULTS

We studied 6,259 individuals with diabetes, adequate lower limb arterial perfusion, and foot ulcer extending through the dermis, representing 767,060 person-days of wound care. In the propensity score–adjusted models, individuals receiving HBO were less likely to have healing of their foot ulcer (hazard ratio 0.68 [95% CI 0.63–0.73]) and more likely to have an amputation (2.37 [1.84–3.04]). Additional analyses, including the use of an instrumental variable, were conducted to assess the robustness of our results to unmeasured confounding. HBO was not found to improve the likelihood that a wound might heal or to decrease the likelihood of amputation in any of these analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of HBO neither improved the likelihood that a wound would heal nor prevented amputation in a cohort of patients defined by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services eligibility criteria. The usefulness of HBO in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers needs to be reevaluated.Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is used to treat foot ulcers that have not responded to initial care and thereby to prevent lower-extremity amputations (LEAs), both of which are complications of diabetes. HBO requires the exposure of a patient to 100% oxygen at a pressure two to three times greater than ambient atmospheric pressure (1). The efficacy of HBO as a treatment for lower-extremity ulcerations has been supported by several small randomized trials; its use also has been advocated by a number of review articles (2–7). However, a meta-analysis of these randomized trials did not find a long-term statistically significant improvement associated with HBO therapy and concluded that the overall quality of the reviewed studies was poor (8).Randomized controlled studies are efficacy studies in that they estimate the likelihood that a drug or device, like HBO, will work in an ideal setting. Effectiveness studies estimate the likelihood that a drug or device will work in the “real world.” Effectiveness studies can be difficult to conduct in that the design constraints of a randomized trial create a nonreal-world setting; therefore, frequently, effectiveness is assessed using cohort studies. The propensity score (PS) technique was first described ∼30 years ago (9). The goal of this technique is to statistically control variables that might influence the selection of a therapy and thus to mimic the “even” distribution of variables seen in a randomized controlled study.We compared the effectiveness of HBO with other therapies administered without HBO in a wound care network. We used PS approaches to compensate for the lack of randomized treatment assignment as well an instrumental variable analysis (Supplementary Data) to confirm our findings.     

Systemic hyperbaric oxygen therapy: lower-extremity wound healing and the diabetic foot

OBJECTIVE: To document peer-reviewed medical publications that have reported on hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy as an adjunct to standard lower-extremity wound care, focusing on publications dealing with the diabetic foot. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A review of the medical literature was conducted using MEDLINE. Research articles involving HBO treatment and the diabetic foot were critiqued to identify factors that may have been a source of bias. RESULTS: Of the published reports on human studies, seven involved diabetes-related foot pathology. Five of these studies, two of which were randomized, included a control group that did not receive HBO therapy The controlled diabetic foot studies included an average of 28 subjects in the HBO therapy group (range 10-62) and an average of 16.2 subjects in the non-HBO control group (range 5-33). Most of the published reports have several potential sources of bias, including, but not limited to, inadequate evaluation of comorbid conditions relevant to wound healing, small sample size, and poor documentation of wound size or severity. Four of the seven reports involving the diabetic foot were published by a group of researchers at the University of Milan between 1987 and 1996. CONCLUSIONS: Additional randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials in large diabetic populations would further lend credence to the presumption that HBO therapy improves clinical outcomes. Given the relatively high cost of this treatment modality, perhaps a more acute awareness of the medical literature would reduce the economic burden that HBO therapy imposes on care providers that are financially at risk.     

高压氧治疗糖尿病足的临床疗效

目的　观察高压氧对糖尿病足的治疗作用。方法　将 36例确诊为糖尿病足的患者随机均分为常规治疗组和高压氧治疗组 ,结合血液流变学、下肢血管多普勒、肌电图检测评价疗效。结果　高压氧治疗后 ,血液粘度显著降低 (P <0 .0 1 ) ;肢体彩色多普勒超声显像显示 ,下肢血管血流明显加快 (P <0 .0 1 ) ;神经电生理异常均有不同程度改善 ;足部症状明显缓解。结论　高压氧治疗糖尿病足 ,有助于糖尿病足尽早康复 ,对提高患者生活质量有积极作用     

Phage Therapy for Diabetic Foot Infection: A Case Series

PurposeInfected diabetic foot ulcers can be difficult to treat and, despite appropriate antibiotic therapy, some diabetic foot infections (DFIs) require amputation. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. Phage therapy has been repeatedly used to successfully treat DFIs and other chronic wounds.MethodsThis article reports the provision of topical adjunctive anti-staphylococcal phage therapy to 10 patients with DFI at high risk of amputation at two UK hospitals as part of clinical care; tolerability and efficacy were clinically assessed.FindingsThe opinion of the experienced clinical teams caring for these patients was that 9 of the 10 patients appeared to benefit from adjunctive phage therapy. No adverse effects were reported by clinicians or patients. In 6 of 10 patients the clinical impression was that phage therapy facilitated clinical resolution of infection and limb salvage. Resolution of soft tissue infection was observed in a 7th patient but unresolved osteomyelitis required amputation. An 8th patient demonstrated eradication of Staphylococcus aureus from a polymicrobial infection and a 9th showed signs of clinical improvement before early cessation of phage therapy due to an unrelated event. One patient, with a weakly susceptible S aureus isolate, had no significant response.ImplicationsThis report describes the largest application of phage therapy in the United Kingdom to date and the first application of phage therapy for DFI in the United Kingdom and offers subjective hints toward impressive tolerability and efficacy. Phage therapy has the potential to transform the prevention and treatment of DFIs.     

The role of foot self-care behavior on developing foot ulcers in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy: A prospective study

BackgroundAlthough foot self-care behavior is viewed as beneficial for the prevention of diabetic foot ulceration, the effect of foot self-care behavior on the development of diabetic foot ulcer has received little empirical investigation.ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between foot self-care practice and the development of diabetic foot ulcers among diabetic neuropathy patients in northern Taiwan.MethodsA longitudinal study was conducted at one medical center and one teaching hospital in northern Taiwan.ParticipantsA total of 295 diabetic patients who lacked sensitivity to a monofilament were recruited. Five subjects did not provide follow-up data; thus, only the data of 290 subjects were analyzed. The mean age was 67.0 years, and 72.1% had six or fewer years of education.MethodsData were collected by a modified version of the physical assessment portion of the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument and the Diabetes Foot Self-Care Behavior Scale. Cox regression was used to analyze the predictive power of foot self-care behaviors.ResultsA total of 29.3% (n = 85) of diabetic neuropathy patients developed a diabetic foot ulcer by the one-year follow-up. The total score on the Diabetes Foot Self-Care Behavior Scale was significantly associated with the risk of developing foot ulcers (HR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01–1.07, p = 0.004). After controlling for the demographic variables and the number of diabetic foot ulcer hospitalizations, however, the effect was non-significant (HR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.00–1.06, p = 0.061). Among the foot self-care behaviors, lotion-applying behavior was the only variable that significantly predicted the occurrence of diabetic foot ulcer, even after controlling for demographic variables and diabetic foot ulcer predictors (neuropathy severity, number of diabetic foot ulcer hospitalizations, insulin treatment, and peripheral vascular disease; HR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.04–1.36, p = 0.012).ConclusionsAmong patients with diabetic neuropathy, foot self-care practice may be insufficient to prevent the occurrence of diabetic foot ulcer. Instead, lotion-applying behavior predicted the occurrence of diabetic foot ulcers in diabetic patients with neuropathy. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanism of lotion-applying behavior as it relates to the occurrence of diabetic foot ulcer.     

Pneumatic compression in the treatment of chronic ulcers

Abstract

Objective: To review existing literature that examines physiological mechanisms and clinical effects of different types of pneumatic compression (PC) therapy in the treatment of chronic wounds.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched using intermittent, sequential, cardiosynchronous, pneumatic, compression, ulcer, wound, healing, and treatment as key words. All clinical studies were included provided the study subjects had chronic wounds, the treatment included PC, and wound healing was a measured outcome. Original clinical reports investigating the physiological effects of PC were also retrieved and reviewed.

Results: There is a strong physiological basis behind the use of PC for improving venous and arterial circulation. Six randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have compared the effect of PC to compression therapy or standard wound care on the healing of venous ulcers. However, these RCTs have produced conflicting results. One recent controlled clinical trial reported significantly improved healing and reduced amputation rate of people with chronic arterial ulcers. A well designed RCT also demonstrated greater oedema reduction and faster healing of diabetic foot ulcers compared to sham controls. Research is emerging to delineate optimal treatment protocols.

Conclusion: PC may be a valuable adjunct to aid in the treatment of individuals with venous, arterial, and diabetic ulcers. It should be considered for those people who are not compliant with compression bandaging or those at risk of limb amputation.     

Amputation and the diabetic foot: learning from a case study

Diabetic foot disease causes more amputations than any other lower limb disease. Management of the diabetic foot requires a thorough knowledge of the risk factors for ulceration and amputation, the most common of which are neuropathy, ischaemia and infection. Amputations are not inevitable, however; early detection and appropriate treatment of ulcers can prevent up to 85% of amputations. This has been demonstrated in the formation of multidisciplinary diabetic foot clinics, which have been shown to reduce the number of amputations across the world. Adherence to a systematic regime of organization, education, screening and intervention can improve communication between patients, GPs, community nursing and diabetes sub-specialists to facilitate appropriate treatment and prevention of complications. The case discussed here demonstrates how inadequate and disjointed management through lack of communication, education and knowledge of diabetic foot disease can lead to complications requiring amputation and debridement.     

Hyperbaric oxygen in diabetic gangrene treatment

We treated a group of 18 hospitalized adult diabetic patients (all with retinopathy, 17 with symptomatic neuropathy, and 6 with macroangiopathy) presenting with gangrenous lesions of the foot by a combined regime consisting of strict metabolic control, daily debridement of necrotic tissues, and daily hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatments given in a multiplace oxygen chamber. Another group of 10 adult subjects with comparable foot lesions (all with retinopathy, 9 with symptomatic neuropathy, and 4 with macroangiopathy) was treated in exactly the same way except for HBO. In the test treatment group, 16 patients were healed, and the remaining 2 showed no improvement and later underwent amputation. The number of HBO treatments required for healing was significantly related to the size of gangrenous lesions. In the non-HBO-treated group, only 1 patient improved, 5 of 10 showed no change, and 4 of 10 worsened until leg amputation was unavoidable. Comparison of the two groups by chi 2-test revealed a highly significant difference (P = .001). In practical terms, HBO treatment drastically reduced leg amputations in patients so treated in the last 3 yr compared with earlier and current figures for patients not receiving HBO treatment.     

The effects of Chinese herbal medicines for treating diabetic foot ulcers: A systematic review of 49 randomized controlled trials

ObjectiveTo assess the effects and associated risks of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for diabetic foot ulcer (DFU).MethodsWe systematically searched seven electronic databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about Chinese herbal medicines for treating diabetic foot ulcers. The methodological quality of RCTs was assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Data was synthesized using review manager (RevMan) 5.3. Meta-analysis was conducted if the data were available. A summary of finding table was generated by The GRADEpro Guideline Development Tool (GDT) online.ResultsForty-nine RCTs, all conducted in China, involving 3646 participants were included. Most of the included trials had unclear or high risk of bias. Twenty-six trials could be pooled in five Meta-analyses, the remaining trials could not be pooled due to the obvious clinical heterogeneity. Only low evidence showed CHM therapy may have 42%–60.4% participants healed completely after treatment, approximately twice (RR 1.42–1.76) as much as the healed rates in conventional therapy (or plus hot water foot bath) group. Majority of the included trials reported benefit of CHM group on shortening healing time (4–23 days) and reducing ulcer wound size (at least 2 cm²). No serious adverse events were reported related to the medication in all trials.ConclusionWeak evidence showed benefit of CHM as add-on treatment of conventional therapy on increasing number of ulcer heals in patients with DFU. That's about twice the healing rate of the conventional treatment (or plus hot water foot bath) group. With insufficient information, we could not draw confirmative conclusion on safety of CHM administration. These findings need to be tested in further large, rigorous trials.     

Effects of Home-Based Walking on Cancer-Related Fatigue in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

ObjectiveThis study was designed to critically evaluate the effect of home-based walking on cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in patients with breast cancer (BC) receiving anticancer treatment.Data SourcesEight databases were systematically searched from inception to March 2021 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) without language restrictions.Study SelectionTwo reviewers (Y.Y. and Z.N.) scanned the titles and abstracts and then read the full texts of potentially eligible trials to screen the literature. Inclusion criteria were studies of home-based walking (HBW) intervention in adult patients with BC, using fatigue as a primary or secondary outcome, and containing extractable fatigue scores.Data ExtractionTwo reviewers (Y.Y. and Z.N.) critically and independently assessed the risk of bias using Cochrane Collaboration criteria and extracted correlated data using the designed extraction form. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used when the outcome assessment tools were different. All of the analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3.Data SynthesisEight RCTs including 764 patients (HBW: 377, control: 387) meeting the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis were identified. HBW had a significant effect on CRF in patients with BC receiving multiple anticancer treatments (SMD=?0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], ?0.86 to ?0.36; P<.001). HBW without other exercises (SMD=?0.83; 95% CI, ?1.39 to ?0.27; P=.003), walking for a gradually increased duration (SMD=?1.24; 95% CI, ?2.20 to ?0.28; P=.010), and no restrictions on walking intensity (SMD=?1.03; 95% CI, ?1.75 to ?0.31; P=.005) demonstrated substantial effects on CRF. Of the 8 included studies, only 3 reported adverse events.ConclusionsHBW can be considered as an alternative therapy for relieving CRF in patients with BC undergoing anticancer treatment.     

Efficacy and Safety of Lower Limb Progressive Resistance Exercise for Patients With Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of progressive resistance exercise (PRE) for patients with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in a meta-analysis.Data SourcesPubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane’s Library, and EMBASE databases.Study SelectionRandomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of PRE on mobility and function in patients with TKA.Data ExtractionA random-effects model was applied if significant heterogeneity was detected; otherwise, a fixed-effects model was applied.Data SynthesisSeven randomized controlled trials. Compared with a rehabilitation program without PRE, physiotherapy including PRE was associated with improvements in the 6-minute walking test (weighed mean difference [WMD], 19.22m; P=.04) with a wide confidence interval (CI, 0.48～37.95). However, sensitivity analysis by omitting 1 study with preoperative rehabilitation revealed nonsignificant results (WMD, 15.15m; P=.16). Moreover, PRE did not significantly improve the maximal walking speed (WMD, 0.05m/s, 95% CI, 0.00～0.11; P=.05). However, PRE was associated with improved knee strength of extension (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.72; 95% CI, 0.47～0.96; P<.001) and flexion (SMD, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.19～0.74; P<.001) but not self-reported physical function (SMD, ?0.17; 95% CI, ?0.37～0.03; P=.10) or changes in pain score (SMD, 0.11; 95% CI, ?0.15～0.37; P=.40). PRE did not increase the risk of adverse events (risk ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.52～2.71; P=.68).ConclusionsPRE may lead to improvements in physical function among patients receiving a TKA. PRE leads to higher ultimate strength in the surgical knee and is safe to perform.     

Local Heat Applications as a Treatment of Physical and Functional Parameters in Acute and Chronic Musculoskeletal Disorders or Pain

ObjectivesThe aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of local heat applications (LHAs) in individuals with acute or chronic musculoskeletal disorders.Data SourcesAn electronic search was conducted on MEDLINE, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials, Current Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Physiotherapy Evidence databases up to December 2019.Study SelectionStudies incorporating adults with any kind of musculoskeletal issues treated by LHA compared with any treatment other than heat were included.Data ExtractionTwo authors independently performed the methodological quality assessment using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool.Data SynthesisLHA showed beneficial immediate effects to reduce pain vs no treatment (P<.001), standard therapy (P=.020), pharmacologic therapy (P<.001), and placebo/sham (P=.044). Physical function was restored after LHA compared with no treatment (P=.025) and standard therapy (P=.006), whereas disability improved directly after LHA compared with pharmacologic therapy (P=.003) and placebo/sham (P<.028). Quality of life was improved directly after LHA treatment compared with exercise therapy (P<.021). Range of motion increased and stiffness decreased after LHA treatment compared with pharmacologic therapy (P=.009, P<.001) and placebo/sham (P<.001, P=.023). The immediate superior effects of LHA on muscular strength could be observed compared with no treatment (P<.001), cold (P<.001), and placebo/sham (P=.023).ConclusionsIndividuals with acute musculoskeletal disorders might benefit from using LHA as an adjunct therapy. However, the studies included in this meta-analysis demonstrated a high heterogeneity and mostly an unclear risk of bias.     

Understanding the multifaceted etiopathogenesis of foot complications in individuals with diabetes

Diabetes mellitus, a chronic disease of metabolism, is characterized by a disordered production or cellular utilization of insulin. Diabetic foot disease, which comprises the spectrum of infection, ulceration, and gangrene, is one of the most severe complications of diabetes and is the most common cause of hospitalization in diabetic patients. The aim of this study is to provide an evidence-based overview of diabetic foot complications. Due to neuropathy, diabetic foot infections can occur in the form of ulcers and minor skin lesions. In patients with diabetic foot ulcers, ischemia and infection are the main causes of non-healing ulcers and amputations. Hyperglycemia compromises the immune system of individuals with diabetes, leading to persistent inflammation and delayed wound healing. In addition, the treatment of diabetic foot infections is challenging due to difficulty in accurate identification of pathogenic microorganisms and the widespread issue of antimicrobial resistance. As a further complicating factor, the warning signs and symptoms of diabetic foot problems can easily be overlooked. Issues associated with diabetic foot complications include peripheral arterial disease and osteomyelitis; accordingly, the risk of these complications in people with diabetes should be assessed annually. Although antimicrobial agents represent the mainstay of treatment for diabetic foot infections, if peripheral arterial disease is present, revascularization should be considered to prevent limb amputation. A multidisciplinary approach to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetic patients, including those with foot ulcers, is of the utmost importance to reduce the cost of treatment and avoid major adverse consequences such as amputation.     

The Effectiveness and Safety of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Chronic Wounds: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness and adverse events of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in individuals with lower-extremity diabetic ulcers, lower-extremity venous ulcers, and pressure ulcers.Patients and MethodsWe searched multiple databases from database inception to June 11, 2020, for randomized controlled trials and observational studies that compared PRP to any other wound care without PRP in adults with lower-extremity diabetic ulcers, lower-extremity venous ulcers, and pressure ulcers.ResultsWe included 20 randomized controlled trials and five observational studies. Compared with management without PRP, PRP therapy significantly increased complete wound closure in lower-extremity diabetic ulcers (relative risk, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.32, moderate strength of evidence [SOE]), shortened time to complete wound closure, and reduced wound area and depth (low SOE). No significant changes were found in terms of wound infection, amputation, wound recurrence, or hospitalization. In patients with lower-extremity venous ulcers or pressure ulcers, the SOE was insufficient to estimate an effect on critical outcomes, such as complete wound closure or time to complete wound closure. There was no statistically significant difference in adverse events.ConclusionAutologous PRP may increase complete wound closure, shorten healing time, and reduce wound size in individuals with lower-extremity diabetic ulcers. The evidence is insufficient to estimate an effect on wound healing in individuals with lower-extremity venous ulcers or pressure ulcers.Trial RegistrationPROSPERO Identifier: CRD42020172817     

Improved survival of the diabetic foot: the role of a specialized foot clinic

A specialized foot clinic for diabetic patients has made a detailed analysis of the presentation of diabetic foot ulcers and from this a new, organised approach to treatment has been derived. Over three years it has achieved a high rate of ulcer healing and reduced the number of major amputations. It has brought together the skills of chiropodist, shoe-fitter, nurse, physician and surgeon to manage the distinctive lesions of the neuropathic and ischaemic diabetic foot. The neuropathic ulcer was invariably associated with callus, whereas the ischaemic ulcer presented as areas of necrosis often from localised pressure of tight shoes. Essential aspects of management are specially constructed shoes, intensive chiropody and precise antibiotic treatment. Healing was achieved in 204 out of 238 (86 per cent) neuropathic ulcers and 107 out of 148 (72 per cent) ischaemic ulcers. Relapse rate in special shoes was 26 per cent compared with 83 per cent who preferred to wear their own shoes. In the two years before the establishment of the clinic, there were 11 and 12 major amputations yearly. This rate has now been reduced to seven, seven and five amputations yearly.