The evaluation of efficacy of atmospheric pressure plasma in diabetic ulcers healing: A randomized clinical trial

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) as a novel therapy for diabetic foot ulcers. This was an investigator-blinded, randomized controlled trial of 14 weeks (6 weeks of treatment and 8 weeks of follow-up). Twenty patients with diabetic foot ulcers were divided into two groups: the control group receiving standard wound care and the plasma group, which received CAP twice a week for six consecutive weeks in addition to standard wound care. The ulcer size, amount of exudate, and wound grading were determined weekly. Cold plasma was produced by applying a high voltage (4.5 kV) and a high frequency (22 kHz) to helium gas. Exudate from wounds treated with CAP showed a significant reduction in the third week after complete treatment (p = 0.039). The wound grading of the ulcers improved by the sixth week (p = 0.019), and the sizes of ulcers significantly decreased in the plasma group at the end of the treatment period (p = 0.007). In this randomized clinical trial, CAP was an effective treatment option for diabetic foot ulcers in terms of wound surface reduction and antibacterial effects.

Automated summary

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) as a novel therapy for diabetic foot ulcers. Twenty patients with diabetic foot ulcers were divided into a control group and a plasma group, with the latter receiving CAP twice a week for six consecutive weeks in addition to standard wound care. The results showed that CAP was an effective treatment option for diabetic foot ulcers in terms of wound surface reduction and antibacterial effects.