What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing hyperbaric oxygen therapy plus conventional treatment to conventional treatment alone for chronic nonischemic diabetic foot ulcers.
What They Found
At the end of treatment, 33.3% (5/15) of hyperbaric oxygen therapy-treated wounds achieved complete closure compared to 0% (0/15) in the conventional therapy group (P = .014). This significant difference persisted for 8 weeks of follow-up, and complication rates were nonsignificantly different between both groups.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients with chronic nonischemic diabetic foot ulcers not responding to standard care, hyperbaric oxygen therapy could be a beneficial additional treatment option. This approach demonstrated improved healing rates and similar safety compared to conventional therapy alone.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its small sample size, indicating a need for larger confirmatory studies.