Wound pH and Surface Temperature as a Predictive Biomarker of Healing in Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Abstract

Aim

To monitor wound pH and surface temperature as predictors of wound healing in diabetic foot ulcers (DFU).

Methods

Prospective, observational, time-bound study of 18 months, enrolling patients aged 18 to 60 years with uninfected DFU. The wound was assessed at baseline and after that, every week for 4 weeks according to the leg ulcer measurement tool (LUMT). Concurrently, wound surface pH and temperature were measured. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and a P-value < .05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Fifty-four patients with DFU were included in the study with a mean age of 55 years and a male to female ratio of 1.57. The wound showed progressive improvement, a maximum mean LUMT score of 48.89 (± 2.81) at the initial evaluation and decreased progressively to the mean of 19.80 at week 4 (± 3.43), both of which were statistically significant (P-value < .001). Similarly, the median wound pH progressively reduced from 7.7 at baseline to 7.20 in the fourth week, and median wound temperature decreased from 90°F (32.22 °C) at baseline to 85°F (29.44 °C) in the fourth week, both of which were statistically significant (P-value < .001).

Conclusion

Progressive and significant change in wound pH to acidic and drop in wound surface temperature, both corresponding to improvement in the status of DFU, maximum at 4 weeks, make them valuable predictors of wound healing. However, further, more extensive studies are required to establish a concrete relationship.