The use of
antiseptics in
wound care is often controversial and there is definitely a need for a non toxic, highly disinfective agent. This study assessed the efficacy of a neutral pH superoxidised aqueous
solution (NpHSS) for infection control, odour reduction and surrounding skin and tissue damage on infected
diabetic foot ulcerations. From November 2003 to March 2004, 45 patients with
type 2 diabetes were randomised into a single-blind clinical trial comparing NpHSS (intervention group; n = 21) versus conventional
disinfectant (control group; n = 16). All patients received comprehensive care including surgical
debridement as appropriate, moist
wound care, intensive glucose control and broad spectrum
antibiotics. Treatment groups were matched in terms of sex, age (61.9 +/- 11.9 versus 67.8 +/- 11.6), years of diabetes duration (16.4 +/- 8.1 versus 17 +/- 10.2),
obesity, HgAlc (7.1 +/- 2 versus 6.7 +/- 1.8), initial fasting glycaemia (163 +/- 59 versus 152 +/- 65.8 mg/dl),
ulcer duration/week (13.7 +/- 24 versus 15.1 +/- 16.3), B/A Index (0.9 +/- 0.5 versus 1.14 +/- 0.7), depth and extent of
infection/periwound
cellulitis (groups B and C of the Tampico Hospital Classification) as well as aetiology (P = 0.647). Odour reduction was achieved in all NpHSS patients (100% versus 25%; P < 0.01) and surrounding
cellulitis diminished (P < 0.001) in 17 patients (80.9% versus 43.7%). Nineteen patients in the NpHSS group showed advancement to granulating tissue stage (90.4% versus 62.5%; P = 0.05) with significantly less tissue toxicity (94% versus 31.2%; P < 0.01). A non toxic, NpHSS, as part of a comprehensive care regimen, may be more efficacious in infection control, odour and
erythema reduction than conventional
disinfectants in treatment of
diabetic foot infections.