
doi: 10.2337/dc15-0332
pmid: 26116717
OBJECTIVE The role of telemedical monitoring in diabetic foot ulcer care is still uncertain. Our aim was to compare telemedical and standard outpatient monitoring in the care of patients with diabetic foot ulcers in a randomized controlled trial. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Of the 736 screened individuals with diabetic foot ulcers, 401 met the eligibility criteria and were randomized between October 2010 and November 2014. The per-protocol telemedical monitoring consisted of two consultations in the patient’s own home and one consultation at the outpatient clinic. Standard practice consisted of three outpatient clinic visits. The three-visit cycle was repeated until study end point. The study end points were defined as complete ulcer healing, amputation, or death. RESULTS One hundred ninety-three individuals were randomized to telemedical monitoring and 181 to standard care. Demographics were similar in both groups. A cause-specific Cox proportional hazards model showed no difference in individuals monitored through telemedicine regarding wound healing (hazard ratio 1.11 [95% CI 0.87, 1.42], P = 0.42) or amputation (0.87 [0.54, 1.42], P = 0.59). We found a higher mortality incidence in the telemedical monitoring group compared with the standard outpatient monitoring group (8.68 [6.93, 10.88], P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The findings of no significant difference regarding amputation and healing between telemedical and standard outpatient monitoring seem promising; however, for telemedical monitoring, a higher mortality throws into question the role of telemedicine in monitoring diabetic foot ulcers. Further studies are needed to investigate effects of telemedicine on mortality and other clinical outcomes and to identify patient subgroups that may have a poorer outcome through telemedical monitoring.
Adult, Male, Remote Consultation/methods, Monitoring, Anti-Infective Agents/therapeutic use, Monitoring, Ambulatory, Anti-Infective Agents, Telemedicine/methods, Outpatients, Humans, Referral and Consultation, Proportional Hazards Models, Wound Healing, Diabetic Foot/drug therapy, Remote Consultation, Outpatients/statistics & numerical data, Middle Aged, Diabetic Foot, Telemedicine, Monitoring, Ambulatory/statistics & numerical data, Research Design, Ambulatory/statistics & numerical data, Female
Adult, Male, Remote Consultation/methods, Monitoring, Anti-Infective Agents/therapeutic use, Monitoring, Ambulatory, Anti-Infective Agents, Telemedicine/methods, Outpatients, Humans, Referral and Consultation, Proportional Hazards Models, Wound Healing, Diabetic Foot/drug therapy, Remote Consultation, Outpatients/statistics & numerical data, Middle Aged, Diabetic Foot, Telemedicine, Monitoring, Ambulatory/statistics & numerical data, Research Design, Ambulatory/statistics & numerical data, Female
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 89 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 1% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 1% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
