Innovative clinical trial for diabetic foot ulcer treatment underway
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Nottingham are leading a £2.5 million clinical trial looking into new types of psychological and behavioural treatment for people with diabetes.
The trial, titled ‘Reducing the impact of diabetic foot ulcers on patients and the health service (REDUCE)’, which will last for six years and will look into both the impact of foot ulcers on the lives of patients and also the financial impact treating them has on the NHS.
Diabetic foot ulcers are poorly healing wounds below the ankle, with only around half of all ulcers healing within six months. In severe cases, the ulcers can lead to amputation of the affected limb.
One in 17 people in the UK suffer from diabetes and diabetic foot ulcers are prevalent, affecting around a quarter of all patients with diabetes. The NHS currently spends around £1 billion a year on the care of people with diabetes who have an ulcer on the foot. Now a new package of treatment based on psychological and behavioural interventions is to be tested on patients to try to prevent the recurrence of ulcers and speed up healing if they reoccur.
The study is being co-led by Professor Frances Game, Consultant Diabetologist, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust and Professor Kavita Vedhara from the University of Nottingham’s School of Medicine, and has been funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
Professor Game said: “There is currently no programme offered by the NHS to people with diabetes who have suffered from ulcers of the foot which has been proven to help them to reduce the risk of future reoccurrence of ulcers.
“Any treatment which supports them to maintain a safe level of activity without new ulcers could also have a lasting impact on their general health and well-being. We are very excited at the future prospect of being able to offer this programme to every patient with diabetes who has suffered with foot ulcers and improve the lives of so many.”
Professor Vedhara said “We are very excited to be carrying out this large-scale clinical trial as we believe the REDUCE programme could deliver huge benefits to patients and save the NHS a lot of money. We know that people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours towards their illness can affect their risk of getting diabetic foot ulcers and how well they heal.
“Our programme draws on this evidence and we are hoping it will provide people at risk of reulceration a new treatment which will have a real and lasting effect on the future management of diabetic foot ulcers in the UK.”