Estimation of percent wound area reduction over a period of four weeks among diabetic foot ulcers

Abstract

Foot ulcers are the most commonly experienced, fearful complications of diabetes which can frequently be life or limb-threatening. Several factors can lead to the occurrence of foot ulcers in diabetics. Prevention and proper management of DFUs are the prime most important in the care of patients with diabetes. It is essential to predict the wound healing time in managing the diabetic foot ulcers. The main objective of the study is to examine the reduction in wound area over four weeks in achieving more than 50 % Percentage Area Reduction (PAR) as a clinical outcome. Two wound irrigation methods were used for irrigating the wounds. Assessment of the wound area was done and compared on achieving more than 50 % reduction in ulcer area at the end of four weeks. The study used a descriptive comparative design with a control group. Diabetic Foot ulcer patients (N = 160) from a private hospital were randomly allocated into 80 in each group (Neem solution irrigation and Normal saline irrigation groups). In both groups Surface area of the wound was measured using a disposable wound ruler with standard calibrations at baseline and then at the end of each week till four weeks are completed. Data were analyzed in SPSS20 software while considering p< .05 as statistically significant. The mean Wound surface area of the Normal saline group was 18.41 at the end of the first week and 14.04 after four weeks verses 19.84. The above-quoted scores in the Neem solution irrigation group were 14.68 and 6.92, respectively, against 17.13(p < .05). At the end of 4 weeks, the mean percent reduction in area from baseline of DFUs irrigated with Neem solution was 72.4 % and with Normal saline was 48.7 %. Ulcers irrigated with neem solution had a 28.7 % greater mean reduction in area from baseline when compared with the normal saline control group at the end four weeks (p<.05).