Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of the major complications of diabetes mellitus. It can be a cause of amputation. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to promote wound healing and decrease amputation rates. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is used as an adjuvant to close the wound in addition to standard care in diabetic foot ulcers.

Methods: This is a prospective study carried out between February 2019 and April 2021 in the department of endocrinology and metabolic diseases, involving 7 patients admitted for DFU and who received intralesional EGF injections.

Results: The mean age was 51 years (4 men and 3 women). There were patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus with a mean duration of 15 years. All the patients had high levels of HbA1c with an average of 8.5%. The ulcers were mainly located on the plantar aspect of the foot, complicated in 4 cases by osteitis, with an evolution ranging from 2 months to 3 years. The standard care included blood glucose regulation, debridement of necrotic tissues, treatment of infections and offloading. The patients received an average of 3 injections of EGF until a complete granulation response was achieved. There was a case of overgranulation causing treatment to be stopped. The average length of stay was 21 days. Complete granulation was achieved in 5 patients, with an average healing time of 65 days.

Conclusion: The intralesional application of EGF is an effective adjuvant treatment in addition to standard care. The clinical evolution of patients treated with intralesional EGF together with its safety make it a promising product to treat DFU.