Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy Effective in Treating Diabetic Foot Ulcers, reports study

A recent meta-analysis published in the Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice unveiled the effectiveness of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in treating diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). The study reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before August 8, 2023 and highlighted the potential benefits of ESWT as a therapeutic option for DFUs.

This research was carried out with extensive search of databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL), and Web of Science, to identify RCTs that investigated the efficacy and safety of ESWT for DFUs. A total of 10 trials met the selection criteria and were analyzed using STATA 14.0 software to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the treatment.

The analysis revealed that ESWT had a significantly higher rate of completely healed ulcers when compared to the control groups, with a risk ratio (RR) of 1.57 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.26 to 1.95. This indicated that patients receiving ESWT were 57% more likely to undergo complete healing of their ulcers than the individuals receiving standard treatments.

In addition to improved healing rates, ESWT was associated with a lower rate of unchanged ulcers, with a risk ratio of 0.25 (95% CI: 0.14 to 0.42). This meant that the risk of DFUs remaining unchanged during the treatment period was significantly reduced for the individuals undergoing ESWT by demonstrating the potential of this therapy to prevent ulcer stagnation.