Publication:

Efficacy of Vitamin C and Vitamin E as an add on therapy in diabetic foot ulcer and red blood cell morphology as a biomarker of oxidative stress: a randomized, open label, comparative pilot study

Background Diabetes mellitus is a major cause of increased morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Foot ulcer is one of the long term complications of diabetes. Oxidative stress plays a major role in pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and its long term complications. Impaired wound healing in diabetic individuals is due to ischemia and hypoxia occurring as a consequence of oxidative stress. Vitamin C and E have antioxidant property. This study aims to assess their efficacy in healing of diabetic ulcer. Objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of Vitamin C and E in healing diabetic foot ulcer.

Methods 60 adult patients with diabetic foot ulcer were randomized to test and control groups (30 in each). Treatment period was 12 weeks + 4 weeks follow up per patient. After obtaining written informed consent, patients in test group received Vitamin C (500mg BD) and Vitamin E (400mg BD) for 12 weeks along with standard treatment for diabetes and antibiotics for foot ulcer.

Results At the end of 12 weeks, increase in healing of foot ulcer assessed by percent reduction of ulcer area in study group 72.50% than control group 39.67% (p<0.001) was observed. There was a significant reduction of fasting blood glucose, Oxidative stress induced damage to RBCs and BP in the study group compared to control group. No serious adverse effects occurred.

Conclusions Vitamin C and E reverse oxidative stress induced morphological changes in RBCs, improve anemia and increase blood flow to ulcer area. Hence they are highly effective in healing diabetic foot ulcer along with standard therapy.