A prospective, randomized clinical study evaluating the effect of transdermal continuous oxygen therapy on biological processes and foot ulcer healing in persons with diabetes mellitus

Hypoxia is a major factor in delayed wound healing. The aim of this prospective, randomized, clinical trial was to compare outcomes of treatment in persons with chronic diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) randomly assigned to transdermal continuous oxygen therapy (TCOT) for 4 weeks as an adjunct to standard care (debridement, offloading, and moisture). Nine patients (age 58.6±7.1, range 38-73 years) received TCOT (treatment group) and eight patients (age 59.9±12.6, range 35-76 years) received standard care alone (control group). Most patients (12) were male, and all had a Wagner I or II foot ulcer for an average of 14 (control group) or 20 months (treatment group). Weekly wound measurements and wound tissue biopsies were obtained and wound fluid collected. Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and proteases in wound fluid samples were analyzed using Luminex-based multiplex assays. Tissue-resident macrophages were quantified by immunohistochemistry. At week 4, average wound size reduction was 87% (range 55.7% to 100%) in the treatment group compared to 46% (15% to 99%) in the control group (P <0.05). Changes in cytokine levels (IL-6, IL-8) and proteinases (MMP-1,-2,-9, TIMP-1) at weeks 2 to 4 in wound fluid correlated with clinical findings. CD68+ macrophage counts showed statistically significant reduction in response to TCOT compared to the control group (P <0.01). The results of this study show that TCOT may facilitate healing of DFUs by reversing the inflammatory process through reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines and tissue-degrading proteases. Additional research to elucidate the effects of this treatment on complete healing and increase understanding about the role of wound fluid analysis is needed.