According to a study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism(JCEM), participants who received a tissue repair medication to treat a diabetic foot ulcer were twice as likely to have healing within eight weeks, compared to participants who received a placebo. Foot ulcers are one of the most common symptoms developed from diabetes, and in the worst cases can lead to hospitalization and amputation.
At US Neuropathy Centers, our team is committed to determining a correct diagnosis and designing a comprehensive treatment plan for all patients with peripheral neuropathy. US Neuropathy Centers currently has 14 locations across 7 states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming), with the plan to expand to more states for patients with peripheral neuropathy and debilitating nerve pain.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 65,700 lower-limb amputations in people with diabetes in 2006. Researchers and physicians alike say that 85 percent of these amputations could have been avoided if foot ulcers were treated and prevented in a timely and efficient manner.
Current treatments for diabetic foot ulcers are limited. Patients with foot deformities are recommended to use therapeutic footwear, apply daily saline for a moist wound environment, and utilize antibiotic therapy. Lead author of the 2014 study, Francesco Squadrito, MD, says, “Our study showed for the first time that a pharmacological approach can improve wound healing in people with diabetes.”
The study consisted of 216 participants, all of whom have diabetic foot ulcers. These individuals either received polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), the tissue repair drug, or a placebo. The medication was given via injections for eight weeks, and the participants were monitored every four weeks for any ulcer change.
After the trial, the researchers found that 37 percent of the patients who received PDRN had complete closure to their ulcers. The placebo group had 19 percent of participants with complete ulcer closure. Some participants reported some mild side effects, according to Squadrito.
With more than 382 million people worldwide who are affected with diabetes, this new drug therapy could revolutionize foot ulcer treatment. At US Neuropathy Centers, we are committed to treating all symptoms of a patient’s peripheral neuropathy condition. If you suffer from diabetes and have complications with foot ulcers or nerve pain, contact a US Neuropathy Centers nearest you, and get an evaluation today!
To read the entire study, please visit: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140225134235.htm
If you are suffering from neuropathy, please do not hesitate to call us at US Neuropathy Centers.
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
@US Neuropathy Centers, 2018
