What Researchers Did
Researchers systematically reviewed recent systematic reviews (published after 2004) and randomized controlled trials (published in 2012-2013) to evaluate treatment modalities for diabetic foot ulcers.
What They Found
This review included 34 studies evaluating various diabetic foot ulcer therapies. They found good-quality evidence for standard care like offloading and debridement, and possibly negative pressure wound therapy. However, high-level evidence was largely lacking for many other adjunctive therapies.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with diabetic foot ulcers should prioritize established standard care, including proper offloading and debridement, as these have the strongest evidence for effectiveness. While other advanced therapies exist, patients should discuss the limited high-quality evidence for many of these with their healthcare providers.
Canadian Relevance
This systematic review did not include any specific Canadian data or researchers.
Study Limitations
The findings of this review are limited by the overall lack of high-level evidence for many adjunctive therapies in the existing literature.