The quest for wellness: How to optimise self-care strategies for diabetic foot management?

Diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) is common and highly recurrent, negatively impacting the individuals' quality of life. The 2023 guidelines of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot emphasise that adherence to foot self-care recommendations is one of the most important factors in DFU prevention. These guidelines also briefly mention that depression and other psychosocial problems can hamper treatment and ulcer healing. Moreover, a new clinical question was added on psychological interventions for ulcer prevention, although the evidence regarding the role of psychological and social factors is still limited. To help the field progress, this narrative overview discusses how a stronger focus on psychological factors by both researchers and clinicians could improve the care for people at high DFU risk. The review starts with a testimony of a person living with DFU, explaining that for him, the absence of shared decision-making has been a key barrier to successful foot self-care implementation. Intervention studies that address patient-reported barriers are still scarce, and are therefore urgently needed. Furthermore, the key elements of psychological interventions found to be successful in managing diabetes are yet to be implemented in DFU risk management. Importantly, research evidence indicates that commonly advocated foot self-care recommendations may be insufficient in preventing DFU recurrence, whereas digital technology appears to effectively reduce recurrent DFU. More research is therefore needed to identify determinants of patient acceptance of digital technology.

Patient and health care provider knowledge of diabetes and diabetic microvascular complications: a comprehensive literature review.

Diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy occur in more than 50% of people with diabetes, contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality. Patient understanding of these microvascular complications is essential to ensure early recognition and treatment of these sequalae as well as associated symptoms, yet little is known about patient knowledge of microvascular sequalae. In this comprehensive literature review, we provide an overview of existing knowledge regarding patient knowledge of diabetes, retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy. We also discuss health care provider's knowledge of these sequalae given that patients and providers must work together to achieve optimal care. We evaluated 281 articles on patient and provider knowledge of diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy as well as predictors of improved knowledge and screening practices. Results demonstrated that patient and provider knowledge of microvascular sequalae varied widely between studies, which may reflect sociocultural or methodologic differences. Knowledge assessment instruments varied between studies with limited validation data and few studies controlled for confounding. Generally, improved patient knowledge was associated with greater formal education, longer diabetes duration, and higher socioeconomic status. Fewer studies examined provider knowledge of sequalae, yet these studies identified multiple misconceptions regarding appropriate screening practices for microvascular complications and the need to screen patients who are asymptomatic. Further investigations are needed that use well validated measures, control for confounding, and include diverse populations. Such studies will allow identification of patients and providers who would benefit from interventions to improve knowledge of microvascular complications and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes.

Neuropathy-and foot-ulcer specific quality of life instrument (NeuroQoL): Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and content validation in Hindi.

BACKGROUND: Neuropathy-and foot ulcer-specific quality of life instrument (NeuroQoL) is not available in Hindi language which is one of the most spoken languages in the world. Hence, we aimed to translate, cross-culturally adapt and content validate NeuroQoL into Hindi language (NeuroQoL-H). METHODS: NeuroQoL is translated and cross-culturally adapted into Hindi language (NeuroQoL-H) using the guidelines proposed by Beaton and colleagues. Both item and scale levels content validity index (I-CVI & S-CVI) were reported for the validation and pretesting was performed with, n = 51 patients with diabetes. Floor and ceiling effects were reported. RESULT: Total score of content validated and pretested, NeuroQoL-H with, n = 51 patients with diabetes is, 60 (36,109). For all the items in NeuroQoL-H, I-CVI ≥ 0.8 and S-CVI = 0.95. The floor effect is (24 %) while the ceiling effect is (1 %). CONCLUSION: NeuroQoL-H scale is a valid outcome measure among Hindi speaking patients with diabetes.

Patient and Provider Perspective of Smart Wearable Technology in Diabetic Foot Ulcer Prevention: A Systematic Review.

Background and Objectives: Smart wearable devices are effective in diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) prevention. However, factors determining their acceptance are poorly understood. This systematic review aims to examine the literature on patient and provider perspectives of smart wearable devices in DFU prevention. Materials and Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically searched up to October 2021. The selected articles were assessed for methodological quality using the quality assessment tool for studies with diverse designs. Results: A total of five articles were identified and described. The methodological quality of the studies ranged from low to moderate. Two studies employed a quantitative study design and focused on the patient perspective, whereas three studies included a mixed, quantitative/qualitative design and explored patient or provider (podiatrist) perspectives. Four studies focused on an insole system and one included a smart sock device. The quantitative studies demonstrated that devices were comfortable, well designed and useful in preventing DFU. One mixed design study reported that patients did not intend to adopt an insole device in its current design because of malfunctions, a lack of comfort. and alert intrusiveness, despite the general perception that the device was a useful tool for foot risk monitoring. Two mixed design studies found that performance expectancy was a predictor of a podiatrist's behavioural intention to recommend an insole device in clinical practice. Disappointing participant experiences negatively impacted the podiatrists' intention to adopt a smart device. The need for additional refinements of the device was indicated by patients and providers before its use in this population. Conclusions: The current evidence about patient and provider perspectives on smart wearable technology is limited by scarce methodological quality and conflicting results. It is, thus, not possible to draw definitive conclusions regarding acceptability of these devices for the prevention of DFU in people with diabetes.

Psychosocial research in the diabetic foot: Are we making progress?

BACKGROUND/METHODS: This review summarizes recent advances regarding the role of psychological factors in people with a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). It describes the detrimental effects of diabeticfoot complications and in particular, Charcot Neuroarthropathy (CN), on health status and quality of life (QoL) and emphasizes the importance of utilizing DFU-specific assessment tools. RESULTS: Diabetic neuropathy (DN)-related postural instability is key in generating depression in high DFU risk patients and in predicting offloading non-adherence those with active DFUs. Patients' views of their own DFU risk are largely inconsistent with biomedical models, resulting in a lack of preventive foot self-care. Furthermore, DFUs are a source of specific emotional responses, with fear of amputation predominant. While fear of amputation is associated with better preventive foot self-care, it appears to be linked to DFU non-healing, though mechanisms are yet to be elucidated. Until now, systemically released stress hormones were recognized as the only biological mechanism through which psychological stress influences healing. Recently, the skin has been found to be an extra-adrenal site for glucocorticoid synthesis with local, tissue-specific cortisol implicated in DFU non-healing. CONCLUSIONS: These observations could potentially lead to future targets for therapeutic and psychological interventions.

Psychological and Biomechanical Aspects of Patient Adaptation to Diabetic Neuropathy and Foot Ulceration.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review was to elucidate how psychological and biomechanical factors interrelate in shaping patients' experience with diabetic symmetric polyneuropathy (DSPN) and its sequela-diabetic foot ulceration (DFU). RECENT FINDINGS: Recent findings emphasize the importance not only of neuropathic pain but also of other DSPN symptoms, such as unsteadiness. We highlight the negative spiral between unsteadiness, falls, and psychological distress. Moreover, unsteadiness is a key determinant of non-adherence to offloading resulting in the delayed DFU healing. While depression is an established predictor of incident DFU, findings linking depression and DFU healing remain inconclusive. Examination of physical activity in DFU development and healing represents the most recent application of research to this field. Research evidence indicates that DSPN markedly impairs physical and emotional functioning and suggests that there is an unmet need for the development of multifaceted interventions that address both psychological distress and biomechanical challenges experienced by patients with this debilitating complication of diabetes.

Physiological and psychological challenges of increasing physical activity and exercise in patients at risk of diabetic foot ulcers: a critical review.

Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are common challenges among individuals at risk of diabetic foot ulcers. While substantial research exists on physical activity interventions in adults with diabetes, those at greatest risk for foot ulceration were often excluded or not well represented. Both at-risk patients and their clinicians may be hesitant to increase physical activity because of their perception of diabetic foot ulcer risks. Physical activity is not contraindicated for those at risk of diabetic foot ulcer, yet patients at risk present with unique barriers to initiating increases in physical activity. This review focuses upon the physiological and psychological challenges of increasing physical activity and exercise in patients at risk of diabetic foot ulcers. Offloading, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, depression, pain, self-efficacy and social support, diabetic foot ulcer risk-specific beliefs and emotions, and research to date on exercise interventions in this population are all discussed. Additionally, recommendations for implementing and researching physical activity interventions for individuals at risk for diabetic foot ulcer are provided. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Statins may be associated with six-week diabetic foot ulcer healing.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) affect 1.5 million Americans annually, of which only a minority heal with standard care, and they commonly lead to amputation. To improve care, investigations are underway to better understand DFU pathogenesis and develop more effective therapies. Some currently used medications may improve healing. One small, randomized clinical trial found statins improve DFU healing. In this secondary analysis of a large multisite prospective observational cohort of 139 patients with DFUs receiving standard care, we investigated whether there was an association between 6-week DFU wound size reduction and use of a variety of medications including alpha-blockers, beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and statins. We found no significant (p < 0.05) association between six-week wound reduction and use of any of the evaluated drugs; however, statins did trend toward an association (p = 0.057). This suggests a potential benefit of statins on DFU healing, and larger, targeted studies are warranted.

Psychosocial Care for People With Diabetic Neuropathy: Time for Action.

Psychological factors and psychosocial care for individuals with diabetic neuropathy (DN), a common and burdensome complication of diabetes, are important but overlooked areas. In this article we focus on common clinical manifestations of DN, unremitting neuropathic pain, postural instability, and foot complications, and their psychosocial impact, including depression, anxiety, poor sleep quality, and specific problems such as fear of falling and fear of amputation. We also summarize the evidence regarding the negative impact of psychological factors such as depression on DN, self-care tasks, and future health outcomes. The clinical problem of underdetection and undertreatment of psychological problems is described, together with the value of using brief assessments of these in clinical care. We conclude by discussing trial evidence regarding the effectiveness of current pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches and also future directions for developing and testing new psychological treatments for DN and its clinical manifestations.

Quality of life of persons with painful diabetic neuropathy: How can we improve it?

Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is difficult to treat, with pharmacological treatments providing only partial pain relief that is limited by medication side effects. This necessitates a holistic approach to pain control,with pharmacological treatments supplemented by the management of psychosocial aspects of pain experience. Pain catastrophising and psychological flexibility are among the psychological constructs impacting persons' adaptation to PDN. While the former increases disability and reduces quality of life (QoL), the latter leads to less functional impairment and depression. Specific fears, and in particular, fear of falling, are significantly associated with pain-related disability and reduced QoL. The role of secondary parameters ofpain experience, including sleep and mood disturbancesas the potential guides to the selection of pharmacological treatmentsis yet to be established. Over the past decade there has been a steady increase in studies testing psychological interventions, including cognitive behavioural therapy and its several modifications, to manage pain in DN sufferers.Thesepilot and feasibility studies demonstrated the potential beneficial effects on pain severity and pain interference, depression and QoL in adults with PDN.Adequately powered trials are needed to confirm the effectiveness of these interventions in terms of pain experience and their impact on QoL.

Barriers to Prevention and Timely Presentation of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Perspectives of Patients from a High-risk Urban Population in the United States.

Diabetic foot amputation is a preventable complication that is increasing in incidence in the United States, with disparities across geography, race, ethnicity, and income. This qualitative study explored the experiences of people in a low-income urban area in the United States in preventing and obtaining care for foot ulcers. Sixteen adults with foot ulcers were identified through purposive sampling based on records of hospital stays and primary care visits. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed and analyzed for key themes. Participants described inadequate understanding of diabetic foot disease: many sought care only after developing advanced symptoms. They identified social and health system factors as barriers to timely access to care. Some participants described a realization of the seriousness of their condition and an ability to improve self-care after developing an ulcer. Patients' experiences can inform the design of amputation-reduction initiatives to achieve more desirable results, including enhanced self-management capabilities, timely access, and attention to social determinants.

Innovative intelligent insole system reduces diabetic foot ulcer recurrence at plantar sites: a prospective, randomised, proof-of-concept study.

BACKGROUND: Prevention of diabetic foot ulcer recurrence in high risk patients, using current standard of care methods, remains a challenge. We hypothesised that an innovative intelligent insole system would be effective in reducing diabetic foot ulcer recurrence in such patients. METHODS: In this prospective, randomised, proof-of-concept study, patients with diabetes, and with peripheral neuropathy and a recent history of plantar foot ulceration were recruited from two multidisciplinary outpatient diabetic foot clinics in the UK, and were randomly assigned to either intervention or control. All patients received an insole system, which measured plantar pressure continuously during daily life. The intervention group received audiovisual alerts via a smartwatch linked to the insole system and offloading instructions when aberrant pressures were detected; the control group did not receive any alerts. The primary outcome was plantar foot ulcer occurrence within 18 months. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN05585501, and is closed to accrual and complete. FINDINGS: Between March 18, 2014, and Dec 20, 2016, 90 patients were recruited and consented to the study, and 58 completed the study. At follow-up, ten ulcers from 8638 person-days were recorded in the control group and four ulcers from 11 835 person-days in the intervention group: a 71% reduction in ulcer incidence in the intervention group compared with the control group (incidence rate ratio 0·29, 95% CI, 0·09-0·93; p=0·037). The number of patients who ulcerated was similar between groups (six of 26 [control group] vs four of 32 [intervention group]; p=0·29); however, individual plantar sites ulcerated more often in the control group (ten of 416) than in the intervention group (four of 512; p=0·047). In an exploratory analysis of good compliers (n=40), ulcer incidence was reduced by 86% in the intervention group versus control group (incidence rate ratio 0·14, 95% CI 0·03-0·63; p=0·011). In the exploratory analysis, plantar callus severity (change from baseline to 6 months) was greater in re-ulcerating patients (6·5, IQR 4·0-8·3) than non-re-ulcerating patients (2·0, 0·0-4·8; p=0·040). INTERPRETATION: To our knowledge, this study is the first to show that continuous plantar pressure monitoring and dynamic offloading guidance, provided by an innovative intelligent insole system, can lead to a reduction in diabetic foot ulcer site recurrence. FUNDING: Diabetes UK and Orpyx Medical Technologies.

Psychosocial and behavioral aspects of diabetic foot lesions.

This article reviews key findings from recently conducted and ongoing studies into how patients adapt to diabetic foot complications by focusing on two areas. These areas include the role of psychological factors in guiding preventive foot self-care and the impact of diabetic foot ulceration and amputations on an individual's emotional state and quality of life.

Using the common sense model to design interventions for the prevention and management of chronic illness threats: from description to process.

In this article, we discuss how one might use the common sense model of self-regulation (CSM) for developing interventions for improving chronic illness management. We argue that features of that CSM such as its dynamic, self-regulative (feedback) control feature and its system structure provide an important basis for patient-centered interventions. We describe two separate, ongoing interventions with patients with diabetes and asthma to demonstrate the adaptability of the CSM. Finally, we discuss three additional factors that need to be addressed before planning and implementing interventions: (1) the use of top-down versus bottom-up intervention strategies; (2) health care interventions involving multidisciplinary teams; and (3) fidelity of implementation for tailored interventions.

Quality of life in healing diabetic wounds: does the end justify the means?

The objective of this investigation was to compare the health-related quality of life (QoL) among persons participating in a randomized clinical trial of pressure-offloading modalities to heal diabetic foot wounds and diabetic neuropathic foot ulcers. In this prospective clinical trial, 63 patients with superficial noninfected, non-ischemic plantar neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers were randomized to 1 of 3 offloading modalities: total contact cast (TCC), a half-shoe, or a removable cast walker (RCW). A Short-Form 36 questionnaire (SF-36) was used to measure health-related QoL of patients before and after the 12-week study period. The overall mean baseline physical and mental summary scores for the entire population studied were 65.2 +/- 6.5 and 60.7 +/- 5.3, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between the pre- and posttreatment responses in 7 of the 8 SF-36 scales, with the nonsignificant trend in all cases signifying improvement in overall QoL. Patients' overall QoL improved regardless of the pressure-offloading device employed, although this trend was erased when the groups were dichotomized based on whether or not they healed during the study period. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest the potential moderating role of closure of a foot ulcer on the effects of the offloading modality on a patient's QoL. Specifically, the results suggest that in diabetic patients with neuropathic foot ulcers, QoL may have less to do with how an index wound is treated than it does with whether or not the wound heals.

Current Challenges and Opportunities in the Prevention and Management of Diabetic Foot Ulcers.

Diabetic foot ulcers remain a major health care problem. They are common, result in considerable suffering, frequently recur, and are associated with high mortality, as well as considerable health care costs. While national and international guidance exists, the evidence base for much of routine clinical care is thin. It follows that many aspects of the structure and delivery of care are susceptible to the beliefs and opinion of individuals. It is probable that this contributes to the geographic variation in outcome that has been documented in a number of countries. This article considers these issues in depth and emphasizes the urgent need to improve the design and conduct of clinical trials in this field, as well as to undertake systematic comparison of the results of routine care in different health economies. There is strong suggestive evidence to indicate that appropriate changes in the relevant care pathways can result in a prompt improvement in clinical outcomes.

Stress and wound healing.

There are substantial data to suggest that stress-induced disruption of neuroendocrine immune equilibrium is detrimental to health, with the strongest evidence to date in wound healing. Murine and human studies demonstrated that the down-regulation of the early inflammatory response by an increase in cortisol levels results in delayed wound repair and identified several potential cellular mechanisms linking stress and wound healing. The impact of stress on wound healing has been studied almost exclusively in acute experimentally induced wounds. Because chronic wounds are different entities from acute wounds, the cellular/molecular mechanisms by which stress affects acute wound healing may not necessarily be applied to chronic wounds, hence, the need for studies in stress and chronic wound (eg, diabetic foot ulcer) healing.

Patient Interpretation of Neuropathy (PIN) questionnaire: an instrument for assessment of cognitive and emotional factors associated with foot self-care.

OBJECTIVE: Using the common-sense model of illness behavior, we developed and validated a self-report instrument for assessment of patients' cognitive and emotional representations of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) influencing foot self-care. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The Patient Interpretation of Neuropathy (PIN) questionnaire, generated from discussions with clinicians and interviews with patients with DPN, was administered to patients with DPN attending U.K. (n = 325) and U.S. (n = 170) diabetes centers. Psychometric tests of the PIN questionnaire comprised factor analysis, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. Partial correlations and multivariate regressions established construct and criterion-related validity. The associations of PIN scales to past foot ulceration and foot self-care behaviors were compared with those using a generic measure of illness perception and emotion, the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R), which was adapted to neuropathy. RESULTS: Factor analysis of the PIN questionnaire produced 11 scales, which explained 69% of item variance. Nine factors measured patients' common-sense beliefs about DPN and their levels of understanding of DPN-related medical information. Two factors assessed the emotions of worry about potential consequences and anger at practitioners. Most scales demonstrated adequate internal (Cronbach's alpha = 0.62-0.90) and test-retest reliability (Pearson's r = 0.51-0.64). Partial correlations between the PIN and IPQ-R scales in corresponding domains were significant but modest (rp = 0.15-0.26). Finally, PIN scales showed significant associations with past foot ulceration and foot self-care behaviors, thereby confirming criterion validity. CONCLUSIONS: The 39-item PIN questionnaire is a reliable and valid measure of patients' cognitive and emotional representations of neuropathy affecting foot self-care.

The global burden of diabetic foot disease.

Diabetic foot problems are common throughout the world, resulting in major economic consequences for the patients, their families, and society. Foot ulcers are more likely to be of neuropathic origin, and therefore eminently preventable, in developing countries, which will experience the greatest rise in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the next 20 years. People at greatest risk of ulceration can easily be identified by careful clinical examination of the feet: education and frequent follow-up is indicated for these patients. When assessing the economic effects of diabetic foot disease, it is important to remember that rates of recurrence of foot ulcers are very high, being greater than 50% after 3 years. Costing should therefore include not only the immediate ulcer episode, but also social services, home care, and subsequent ulcer episodes. A broader view of total resource use should include some estimate of quality of life and the final outcome. An integrated care approach with regular screening and education of patients at risk requires low expenditure and has the potential to reduce the cost of health care.