How effective is LeucoPatch on hard-to-heal diabetic foot ulcers?

This study investigated the effectiveness of LeucoPatch on hard-to-heal foot ulcers in patients with diabetes. The main finding of the study was that LeucoPatch enhanced the healing of diabetic foot ulcers.

Foot ulcers are a common and serious complication of diabetes. These ulcers can be very difficult to heal and can easily get infected. They can cause disability and distress and can often result in an amputation.

LeucoPatch is a patch that contains the patients’ own white blood cells, growth factors, and proteins that help the healing process. After blood is drawn from the patient, it is ran through a machine (centrifuge) for 20 minutes. This creates the patch that can be applied directly to the ulcer to promote healing. The effectiveness of the LeucoPatch to help ulcers heal is not yet known.

This study included 269 patients with diabetes and a foot ulcer. Patients were randomly assigned to either receive standard ulcer care plus weekly LeucoPatch or standard ulcer care alone for 20 weeks. They were followed up for a further 4 weeks after their 20 weeks of treatment.

At follow-up, 34% of ulcers in the LeucoPatch group had healed compared to 22% in the standard care group. Patients who were treated with LeucoPatch were 58% more likely to heal within 20 weeks than those who received standard care. A quicker healing time was also observed in the LeuoPatch-treated group compared to standard care (72 days vs 84 days). The rates of infection and amputation were not different in either group.

The study determined that LeucoPatch can help the healing of hard-to-heal foot ulcers in patients with diabetes.

This study was funded by Reapplix ApS, the developer of LecuoPatch.

If you have any concerns about the treatment for foot ulcers, please discuss with your physician.