Effectiveness of Two Stress Reduction Interventions in Patients with Chronic Diabetic Foot Ulcers (PSY-DFU): Protocol for a Longitudinal RCT with a Nested Qualitative Study Involving Family Caregivers

Innovative Functional Biomaterials as Therapeutic Wound Dressings for Chronic Diabetic Foot Ulcers

The imbalance of local and systemic factors in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) delays, or even interrupts, the highly complex and dynamic process of wound healing, leading to diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) in 15 to 25% of cases. DFU is the leading cause of non-traumatic amputations worldwide, posing a huge threat to the well-being of individuals with DM and the healthcare system. Moreover, despite all the latest efforts, the efficient management of DFUs still remains a clinical challenge, with limited success rates in treating severe infections. Biomaterial-based wound dressings have emerged as a therapeutic strategy with rising potential to handle the tricky macro and micro wound environments of individuals with DM. Indeed, biomaterials have long been related to unique versatility, biocompatibility, biodegradability, hydrophilicity, and wound healing properties, features that make them ideal candidates for therapeutic applications. Furthermore, biomaterials may be used as a local depot of biomolecules with anti-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic, and antimicrobial properties, further promoting adequate wound healing. Accordingly, this review aims to unravel the multiple functional properties of biomaterials as promising wound dressings for chronic wound healing, and to examine how these are currently being evaluated in research and clinical settings as cutting-edge wound dressings for DFU management.

Wound healing and healing process in patients with diabetic foot ulcers: A survival analysis study

AIMS

This study aimed to identify demographic, clinical, and psychological contributors to DFU healing and favorable healing process.

METHODS

Patients with a chronic DFU were evaluated at baseline (T0; n = 153), two months later (T1; n = 108), and six months later (T2; n = 71). Patients were evaluated on health literacy, perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and illness perceptions. Cox proportional hazard models were built to analyze the predictors of DFU healing and favorable healing process (wound area reduction), including the assessment of time to achieve those outcomes.

RESULTS

More than half of patients had their DFU healed (56.1%) or showed a favorable healing process (83.6%). Median time for healing was 112 days, while for favorable process was 30 days. Illness perceptions were the only predictor of wound healing. Being female , with adequate health literacy, and a first DFU predicted a favorable healing process.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study showing that beliefs about DFU are significant predictors of DFU healing, and that health literacy is a significant predictor of a favorable healing process. Brief, comprehensive interventions should be implemented, at the treatment initial stage, in order to change misperceptions and to promote DFU literacy and better health outcomes.

Nurses’ Motivations, Barriers, and Facilitators to Engage in a Peer Review Process: A Qualitative Study Protocol

Peer review supports the integrity and quality of scientific publishing. However, although it is a fundamental part of the publishing process, peer review can also be challenging for reviewers, editors, and other stakeholders. The present study aims to explore the nurses’ motivations, barriers, and facilitators in engaging in a peer review process. This qualitative, descriptive exploratory study will be developed in partnerships with three research centers. Researchers followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist to ensure the quality of this study protocol. According to the selection criteria, the purposive sampling will be used to recruit nurse researchers that act as peer reviewers for several scientific journals in various fields of knowledge. Interviews will be conducted until data have been sufficiently consistent with meeting the initial objectives. Researchers will develop a guide comprising a set of open-ended questions to collect participants’ characteristics, descriptive review behavior, and perceptions regarding their motivations, barriers, and facilitators. Researchers will analyze data using an inductive process of content analysis with the help of the QDA Miner Lite database. Findings from this study will generate knowledge that may help stakeholders identify facilitating factors and barriers and guide the development of strategies to remove or minimize these barriers.

Stress reduction interventions for patients with chronic diabetic foot ulcers: a qualitative study into patients and caregivers' perceptions

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to assess the perceptions of patients with chronic diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and their family caregivers regarding the impact of two stress reduction interventions on DFU and psychological wellbeing. The intervention included progressive muscle relaxation and hypnosis sessions.

METHODS

This study used a qualitative exploratory design and included individual interviews with eight patients with chronic DFUs and six family caregivers, using a semi-structured interview guide. Transcript analysis employed thematic content analysis.

RESULTS

Four key themes common to patients and their caregivers were found: 1) perspectives regarding the intervention; 2) intervention effectiveness; 3) perceived importance of psychology in the DFU treatment; and 4) emotional consequences associated with DFUs. Although themes were common to both intervention groups, sub-themes from the last two themes differed for patients that received muscle relaxation versus those who received hypnosis.

CONCLUSION

Patients and caregivers reported perceived benefits from both interventions, regarding DFU healing and emotional wellbeing. Patients who received hypnosis and their caregivers also reported lasting effects. Participants suggested that psychological interventions such as stress reduction interventions could be included in the DFU standard treatment as an adjuvant to the clinical protocol for DFU treatment, preferably offered early on, when patients begin treatment at the diabetic foot consultation.