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- Title
Nutritional Supplement.
- Authors
Tatti, Patrizio; Barber, Annabel E.; di Mauro, Patrizia; Masselli, Leonardo
- Abstract
Background & Aim: Patients with diabetes are at high risk of developing foot ulcers (DFU). The medical literature is replete with claims of improved wound healing in DFU using a variety of strategies. However, randomized controlled trials are often difficult to accomplish in DFU, as there are often multiple variables to control, making valid comparisons virtually impossible. In the current study, recurrent DFU in the same patients with identical wound and medical care were studied before and after the addition of an oral nutritional supplement, thus eliminating the variables of site of ulcer, relative pressure on the wound, co-morbid diseases and wound care methods. Methods: Twelve patients with recurrent DFU were included in this retrospective analysis. Initially, all participants underwent a general physical examination and complete blood count. Patients' serum was tested for glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), electrolytes, creatinine, and protein electrophoresis. Body composition was analyzed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. After documented recurrence of ulcers, each patient received a mixture of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, glutamine and arginine*, a nutritional supplement clinically shown to support wound healing and build lean body mass. Optimization of medical management and standard wound care practices were employed in all patients. Results: There were no differences in blood counts and serum chemistries and HbA1c levels before and after supplementation. Ulcer duration was significantly decreased after supplementation (from 246.00 + 62.00 to 80.70 +11.30 days, p<0.001). Body cell mass index also showed improvement in supplemented individuals (from 9.6 + 0.25 to 8.883 + 0.28, p <0.001). Conclusions: The reduction in ulcer duration and improvements in fat-free mass associated with supplementation of the combination of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, glutamine and arginine reported herein suggest its potential clinical usefulness in treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.
- Subjects
DIETARY supplements; GLUTAMINE; ARGININE; BUTYRIC acid; HYDROXY acids; ANALYSIS of variance; BLOOD sugar; GLYCOSYLATED hemoglobin; HEALTH outcome assessment; STATISTICAL sampling; T-test (Statistics); TIME; WOUND healing; DISEASE relapse; DIABETIC foot; TREATMENT effectiveness; RETROSPECTIVE studies; SEVERITY of illness index; TREATMENT duration; DIET therapy; PATHOLOGICAL physiology; THERAPEUTICS
- Publication
EWMA Journal, 2010, Vol 10, Issue 3, p13
- ISSN
1609-2759
- Publication type
Article