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Treatment by a moisturizer of xerosis and cracks of the feet in men and women with diabetes: a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study
Author(s) -
Gin H.,
Rorive M.,
Gautier S.,
Condomines M.,
Saint Aroman M.,
Garrigue E.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
diabetic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.474
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1464-5491
pISSN - 0742-3071
DOI - 10.1111/dme.13402
Subject(s) - medicine , placebo , moisturizer , randomized controlled trial , diabetes mellitus , surgery , statistical significance , double blind , chemistry , alternative medicine , food science , pathology , endocrinology
Aim To evaluate a moisturizer containing urea, glycerine and petrolatum for healing deep open fissures on the feet of people with diabetes. If left untreated, open fissures, an entry point for bacteria, can lead to infection, ulceration and further complications. Methods This randomized, double‐blind, multicentre study at 19 hospitals, general practices and diabetologists in France and Belgium included participants with diabetes and a deep open target fissure on their heel. Participants were randomized to test cream or placebo (1 : 1) for 4 weeks. Complete target fissure healing after 4 weeks (primary criterion) and 2 weeks, target fissure closure, overall fissure healing and xerosis were assessed. Results Some 167 participants were randomized (80 to test cream; 87 to placebo); all were included in the efficacy analyses. The percentage of participants with complete target fissure healing after 4 weeks was higher with test cream than placebo (46.3% vs. 33.3%): the difference did not reach statistical significance ( P = 0.088). Fewer participants still had a deep open target fissure with test cream than placebo, the difference was statistically significant and clinically relevant after 2 (24.7% vs. 42.7%, P = 0.027) and 4 weeks (6.4% vs. 24.1%, P = 0.002). The difference in overall fissure healing between test cream and placebo was significant ( P < 0.001) and test cream resulted in greater xerosis improvement ( P < 0.001 and P = 0.002 at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively). Conclusion The activity of the test cream for treating feet fissures of people with diabetes was confirmed by an improvement in open fissure healing and xerosis. The cream was well tolerated.