Chinnam Venkata Reddy1, Satti Venkata Reddy2, Penumala Amala3, Bethi Ravi Kumar4
BACKGROUND
Numerous topical medication and gels are promoted for ulcer care and healing. Relatively, few have proved to be more efficacious than saline wet-to-dry dressings. The present study was aimed to compare the effect of topical insulin and normal saline dressing in healing of diabetic foot ulcers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The present two-year hospital-based randomised-controlled trial was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Rangaraya Medical College, Kakinada, from April 2015 to March 2017. A total of 60 patients with diabetic foot ulcers were studied. Based on the envelop method, patients were divided into two groups of 30 patients each that is group A (topical insulin) and group B (normal saline).
RESULTS
In this males (66.67% in group A and 83.33% in group B) outnumbered females in both the groups with male-to-female ratio of 2:1 in group A and 4:1 in group B. The mean age in group A was 52.00 ± 11.00 years, and in group B, it was 57.00 ± 9.80 years (p=1.000). Among patients with group A, significant reduction of mean ulcer area was observed (307.23 ± 169.87 mm2) with higher mean percentage reduction (35.19 ± 19.00 percent), whereas in group B, the mean percentage reduction was significantly less (18.82 ± 4.06 percent) with less reduction of mean final ulcer area (149.90 ± 64.45 mm2) (p<0.001).
CONCLUSION
Overall, topical insulin dressing provided favourable outcome in patients with diabetic foot ulcer by significant reduction in wound area when compared to normal saline dressing and it had positive role in reducing the wound infection if present.
