Conectar
To evaluate the effectiveness of multidisciplinary offloading versus standard care on one-year diabetic foot ulcer recurrence, amputation, mortality, and functional recovery. In this prospective cohort study, 232 patients with healed diabetic foot ulcers were stratified into a control group (76 patients) or an intervention group (156 patients) receiving offloading modalities ranging from felt padding to custom-made therapeutic footwear. Assignment was based on shared decision-making considering biomechanical needs and economic feasibility. Primary outcomes included recurrence, amputation, and mortality. Secondary outcomes assessed quality of life, working ability, and ankle function. The intervention group demonstrated significantly lower recurrence (10.9% vs. 25.0%; p = 0.007) and mortality (3.2% vs. 14.5%; p = 0.004). Multivariable analysis identified offloading as independently protective against recurrence (odds ratio 0.35) and mortality (odds ratio 0.24). Amputation rates did not differ significantly after adjustment. Functionally, the intervention group achieved superior recovery in quality of life, working ability, and ankle scores (p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis indicated that customized therapeutic footwear yielded the lowest complication rates and highest patient satisfaction. Multidisciplinary offloading significantly reduces recurrence and mortality while restoring physical function. Although financial barriers influence device selection, customized therapeutic footwear offers the optimal balance of biomechanical protection and functional outcomes.
Diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) contributes significantly to diabetes-related morbidity and amputation. In Barbados, where amputation rates are among the highest globally, the influence of socioeconomic factors on ulceration outcomes remains underexplored. Educational attainment, a social determinant of health, may influence health behaviours, engagement with healthcare services, and ultimately clinical outcomes. This study examines whether educational attainment is associated with diabetic foot ulcer severity, as measured by the SINBAD scoring system, and six-week healing outcomes among inpatients with DFU. A prospective observational study was conducted over 6 months at Barbados' sole public hospital. A total of 176 participants admitted with a diagnosis of DFU were recruited. Baseline demographics, comorbidities, and ulcer characteristics were collected, and SINBAD scores were determined. Random forest modelling was employed to evaluate predictors of complete healing at 6 weeks and to assess ulcer severity stratified by educational attainment. Of the cohort, 17.5% reported primary education as their highest attainment level, compared with 2.9% of the general adult population. The mean SINBAD score was 2.45 among those with primary education and 2.51 among those with secondary education (p > 0.05). No statistically significant association was found between educational attainment and healing outcomes at 6 weeks. Educational attainment in this inpatient DFU cohort was lower than that of the general Barbadian population; however, it was not significantly associated with ulcer severity or six-week healing outcomes. In a universal healthcare setting, equitable access to care may attenuate the effect of educational attainment on clinical outcomes. These null findings highlight the need for future adequately powered studies incorporating health literacy assessment and key clinical confounders. Nonetheless, the observed disparity in educational attainment among DFU inpatients suggests that foot health education initiatives should be designed to be accessible to individuals across all educational levels.
Chronic diabetic wounds persist because of impaired angiogenesis, dysregulated transforming growth factor beta activity and delayed matrix remodelling. Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma therapy represents a potential non-pharmacologic approach to overcome these barriers. This study compared reactive nitrogen–dominant and reactive oxygen–dominant plasma exposures under identical apparatus conditions in a diabetic wound model. A universal plasma jet operated with nitrogen or argon gas was applied to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Wound area reduction and time to 90% closure were quantified. Histological evaluation assessed re-epithelialisation and collagen deposition and immunohistochemistry measured angiogenesis using cluster of differentiation 31 staining and transforming growth factor beta expression. Nitrogen plasma treatment demonstrated sustained improvement in wound reduction relative to diabetic controls and reached 90% closure on day 19, whereas argon plasma reached this threshold on day 24 and diabetic controls exceeded 30 days. Nitrogen plasma was also associated with an earlier, self-limited angiogenic response characterised by an early cluster of differentiation 31 peak on day 6, together with patterns consistent with enhanced collagen maturation and earlier normalisation of transforming growth factor beta expression. Overall, these findings suggest mechanistic differences between reactive nitrogen–dominant and reactive oxygen–dominant plasma exposures in regulating angiogenesis and matrix remodelling during diabetic wound repair. These results indicate that plasma gas chemistry may influence wound-healing trajectories, supporting the potential of plasma therapy as a translational adjunct approach for difficult-to-heal wounds.
Neoplastic foot ulcers are particularly challenging for dermatologists and specialists in hard-to-heal wounds because their location and comorbidities can delay accurate diagnosis. We performed a multicentre, retrospective study analysing clinical and histological data, focusing on neoplastic foot ulcers collected over the past 5 years. We evaluated patients' demographic characteristics, clinical features, histological diagnosis, tumour onset and ulcer site. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software, v.30. In total, 106 patients affected by foot skin ulcers were enrolled in the present protocol (52 women, 54 men). The mean age was 70.15 years. In most cases, the neoplastic ulcer was due to primary tumour ulceration. The dorsum of the foot was the most common site of neoplastic ulcers (66%). From a clinical perspective, most lesions were classified as ulcerated nodules (n = 58), ulcerated plaques (n = 8) or hypergranulating ulcers (n = 25), all with thickened, atypical edges. Histological diagnoses included melanoma (n = 45), non-melanoma skin cancers (n = 34), benign tumours (n = 18) and rarer malignancies (n = 9). A statistically significant correlation was found between histotype and clinical lesion type, and between age and histotype. The study provided preliminary data on the clinical and histological characteristics of neoplastic foot ulcers, warranting further exploration in a prospective, multicentre study.
FreshRSS 