Immunonutrition for Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Summary

Diabetes-induced peripheral neuropathy can lead to the development of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), which can have a devastating effect on patients' lives and can lead to life threatening infection, amputations, and even death. Conventional treatment of DFUs are time consuming, burdensome, costly, and often do not treat the root cause of the problem. Even with proper care, ulcers can take a significantly longer time to heal in diabetic patients due to the altered physiology which does not allow for the proper nutrients and healing factors to mobilize to the site of injury, leaving these ulcers with a poor chance of healing and at high risk for infection and possible amputation. Supplemental immunonutrition therapy may offer a viable, low cost, rapidly scalable, and widely available approach to enhance the body's ability to heal itself. This prospective, randomized pilot study will evaluate the effect of a 6-week daily oral course of a specific combination of immunonutrients, L-Arginine, Omega-3 fatty acids, and Vitamin C, on wound healing in diabetic patients with chronic lower extremity ulcers compared to traditional standard of care. The deliverables of this clinical project will serve to advance a cost-effective added strategy to address a significant unmet clinical need in treatment for the diabetic patient population. Study outcomes will lay the foundation for a multi-site clinical trial to establish the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of this strategy across the health care system.

Timeline

Start

2023-02-08

Primary completion

2023-03-20

Completion

2023-03-20

Publications

• Background Deshpande AD, Harris-Hayes M, Schootman M. Epidemiology of diabetes and diabetes-related complications. Phys Ther. 2008 Nov;88(11):1254-64. doi: 10.2522/ptj.20080020. Epub 2008 Sep 18.
• Background Allen L, Powell-Cope G, Mbah A, Bulat T, Njoh E. A Retrospective Review of Adverse Events Related to Diabetic Foot Ulcers. Ostomy Wound Manage. 2017 Jun;63(6):30-33.
• Background Corriere M, Rooparinesingh N, Kalyani RR. Epidemiology of diabetes and diabetes complications in the elderly: an emerging public health burden. Curr Diab Rep. 2013 Dec;13(6):805-13. doi: 10.1007/s11892-013-0425-5.
• Background Hicks CW, Selvin E. Epidemiology of Peripheral Neuropathy and Lower Extremity Disease in Diabetes. Curr Diab Rep. 2019 Aug 27;19(10):86. doi: 10.1007/s11892-019-1212-8.
• Background Rice JB, Desai U, Cummings AK, Birnbaum HG, Skornicki M, Parsons NB. Burden of diabetic foot ulcers for medicare and private insurers. Diabetes Care. 2014;37(3):651-8. doi: 10.2337/dc13-2176. Epub 2013 Nov 1.
• Background Evans DC, Martindale RG, Kiraly LN, Jones CM. Nutrition optimization prior to surgery. Nutr Clin Pract. 2014 Feb;29(1):10-21. doi: 10.1177/0884533613517006. Epub 2013 Dec 17.
• Background Alexander JW, Supp DM. Role of Arginine and Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Wound Healing and Infection. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2014 Nov 1;3(11):682-690. doi: 10.1089/wound.2013.0469.
• Background Zhang XJ, Chinkes DL, Wolfe RR. The anabolic effect of arginine on proteins in skin wound and muscle is independent of nitric oxide production. Clin Nutr. 2008 Aug;27(4):649-56. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2008.01.006. Epub 2008 Mar 7.
• Background Traber MG, Stevens JF. Vitamins C and E: beneficial effects from a mechanistic perspective. Free Radic Biol Med. 2011 Sep 1;51(5):1000-13. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2011.05.017. Epub 2011 May 25.
• Background Cereda E, Klersy C, Serioli M, Crespi A, D'Andrea F; OligoElement Sore Trial Study Group. A nutritional formula enriched with arginine, zinc, and antioxidants for the healing of pressure ulcers: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2015 Feb 3;162(3):167-74. doi: 10.7326/M14-0696.
• Background Leigh B, Desneves K, Rafferty J, Pearce L, King S, Woodward MC, Brown D, Martin R, Crowe TC. The effect of different doses of an arginine-containing supplement on the healing of pressure ulcers. J Wound Care. 2012 Mar;21(3):150-6. doi: 10.12968/jowc.2012.21.3.150.
• Background Desneves KJ, Todorovic BE, Cassar A, Crowe TC. Treatment with supplementary arginine, vitamin C and zinc in patients with pressure ulcers: a randomised controlled trial. Clin Nutr. 2005 Dec;24(6):979-87. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2005.06.011. Epub 2005 Nov 15.
• Background Theilla M, Schwartz B, Cohen J, Shapiro H, Anbar R, Singer P. Impact of a nutritional formula enriched in fish oil and micronutrients on pressure ulcers in critical care patients. Am J Crit Care. 2012 Jul;21(4):e102-9. doi: 10.4037/ajcc2012187.

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