What Researchers Did
Researchers reviewed current standard treatments for diabetic foot ulcers and examined the evidence for various additional therapies.
What They Found
The study noted that diabetic foot ulcers have high mortality rates, with 5% within 12 months and 42% within 5 years. Standard care involves surgical debridement, dressings, wound off-loading, and infection control. Many adjuvant therapies, including oxygen therapies, were found to be beneficial in improving wound healing rates.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients with diabetic foot ulcers, this review highlights the importance of comprehensive, multidisciplinary care. It also suggests that various additional treatments, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, could potentially improve healing and outcomes when standard care alone is insufficient.
Canadian Relevance
This study covers diabetic foot ulcers, which is a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
The review noted that much of the evidence for adjuvant therapies came from small studies with a high risk of bias.