A Comparative Study of Novel Stem Cell Therapy-Based Treatments for Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Foot ulcers are a well-known complication of diabetes. Treatment of diabetic foot ulcers is complicated by neuropathy, peripheral arterial disease and necrosis of the local tissue. Despite traditional wound care, half of diabetic foot ulcers result in sequelae such as infection and amputation. Multiple stem cell-based treatments for diabetic foot ulcers have been approved, however non-living treatments have not been directly compared to living ones. Our study’s objective is to determine which stem cell-based treatment, non-living (EpiFix®) or living (Dermagraft®), is superior in wound healing when compared to traditional wound care. We anticipate the non-living treatment to yield a higher median in wound surface area reductions. Determining the best type of stem cell-based therapy and implementing its practice will aid in lowering the wound burden that diabetic foot ulcers pose and further advance the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine