Resorbable Glass Fiber Matrix Plus Standard Care Improves Diabetic Foot Ulcer Outcomes

Patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are at risk for detrimental complications, even with current standard of care (SOC) treatments, according to new research.

DFUs are expensive to treat, and researchers note that complications—especially infection—can require prolonged antibiotic administration, deep and extensive debridement, and lower extremity amputations when these measures fail. Therefore, for their current study, the researchers reviewed whether bioactive glass materials are a product that could prevent infection or disrupt biofilm while promoting wound healing in a moist environment.

The trial was conducted from September 16, 2017, to October 31, 2018. The researchers compared a unique resorbable glass microfiber matrix (Advanced Wound Matrix [BBGFM]) compared with an SOC group (collagen alginate dressing). A total of 40 patients were randomly assigned to either SOC alone or BBGFM and SOC and were treated for 12 weeks.

The researchers noted that both groups had received standard diabetic foot care, including glucose monitoring, as-needed weekly debridements, and an offloading device.

Results showed that a significantly higher proportion of wounds had healed after 12 weeks of BBGFM treatment plus SOC compared with SOC alone (70% vs 25%; adjusted P = .006), with the odds of healing more than 11 times greater than that of SOC.

The researchers point out the trial has demonstrated “the addition of a bioactive glass microfiber matrix containing boron to SOC results in significantly improved wound healing in Wagner 1 DFUs compared with SOC alone” and offers encouraging results regarding infection and neuropathy. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Reference

Armstrong DG, Orgill DP, Galiano RD, et al. A multi-centre, single-blinded randomised controlled clinical trial evaluating the effect of resorbable glass fibre matrix in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. Int Wound J. 2022;19(4):791-801. doi:10.1111/iwj.13675