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Effect of Adiposity and Associated Local Microbial Factors on Healing and Progression of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Recruiting
Conditions
Diabetic Foot Ulcer
Interventions
Other: Normal standard care
Registration Number
NCT03960255
Lead Sponsor
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Brief Summary

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and their associated complications like amputations are increasingly becoming a problem in low and middle income (LMI) countries. Obesity (increased body fat/adiposity), which has been shown to complicate many diseases, is also increasing in LMI setting. It is however not certain whether increased adiposity, may make it difficult for DFUs to heal. Investigators aim to understand whether increased adiposity and accompanied local microbial factors have any negative impact on healing and progression of DFUs.

Detailed Description

A prospective cohort of 300 individuals with type 2 diabetes presenting with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) at an outpatient clinic will be recruited. At baseline, participants will be stratified into normal and high adiposity groups as measured by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). Both groups will receive DFU management according to locally appropriate standards of care and followed-up for 24 weeks or until complete wound healing, whichever occurs first. Local microbial characteristics, presence or absence of infection and other clinical parameters will also be assessed, and compared between the two groups. Enrolling 150 participants per group will have a minimum power of 80% to detect a 20% difference in cumulative incidence of complete ulcer healing (at the 5% level of statistical significance) between the normal and high adiposity groups.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
300
Inclusion Criteria
  • History of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)
  • Presence of participant's signed informed consent
  • Age 30 years and above at the time the participant is signing the consent
  • Tanzanians of African origin (Black Tanzanians)
  • Presence of diabetic foot ulcer (DFUs) (new or recurrent)
Exclusion Criteria
  • Known patients with congestive cardiac and/or renal failure.
  • Any patients with absolute or relative contraindication for tissue biopsy (for incident cases)
  • Patients with obvious signs of gangrene
  • DFU patients with non-healing ulcer of more than 52 weeks duration.
  • DFU patients with below normal body mass index BMI (BMI below 18).

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Normal adiposity groupNormal standard careBody fat \< 25% and \<32% in men and women respectively, will be categorized as high adiposity. This is according to the The American Council on Exercise criteria.
High adiposity groupNormal standard careBody fat ≥ 25% and ≥32% in men and women respectively, will be categorized as high adiposity. This is according to the The American Council on Exercise criteria.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Proportion (%) of patients with complete wound healing at 24 weeks24 weeks

Complete healing will be defined based on the criteria of the wound healing society, as 100% re-epithelialization of the wound surface (complete wound closure) with a complete absence of drainage.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Proportion of patients with worsening or improving ulcer progression (worsening of improving based on University of Texas ulcer grading system)24 weeks

Proportion (%) of patients with unfavorable progression (worsening) of an ulcer to a more advanced stage/grade or favorable progression (improving) of an ulcer to an earlier stage/grade, among those enrolled into the study within the study time frame. The grades will be evaluated using the University of Texas ulcer grading system.

Proportion of patients who Die24 weeks

Proportion (%) of patients who die among those enrolled into the study within the study time frame

Proportion of patients ending up in amputation24 weeks

Proportion (%) of patients getting amputations of a toe or foot on the same side as an index ulcer, among those enrolled into the study within the study time frame.

Trial Locations

Locations (4)

Abbas Medical Center

🇹🇿

Dar es Salam, Tanzania

Muhimbili Academic Medical Center

🇹🇿

Dar es Salam, Tanzania

Temeke regional hospital

🇹🇿

Dar es Salam, Tanzania

Mnazi Mmoja Hospital

🇹🇿

Zanzibar, Unguja, Tanzania

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