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. 2018 Sep 24;19(1):520.
doi: 10.1186/s13063-018-2890-2.

The cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of at-home infrared temperature monitoring in reducing the incidence of foot ulcer recurrence in patients with diabetes (DIATEMP): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Wouter B Aan de Stegge  1   2 , Nora Mejaiti  1 , Jaap J van Netten  1   2 , Marcel G W Dijkgraaf  3 , Jeff G van Baal  2   4 , Tessa E Busch-Westbroek  1 , Sicco A Bus  5   6
Affiliations

The cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of at-home infrared temperature monitoring in reducing the incidence of foot ulcer recurrence in patients with diabetes (DIATEMP): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Wouter B Aan de Stegge et al. Trials. .

Abstract

Background: Home monitoring of foot temperatures in high-risk diabetes patients proves to be a promising approach for early recognition and treatment of pre-signs of ulceration, and thereby ulcer prevention. Despite previous studies demonstrating its efficacy, it is currently not widely applied in (Dutch) health care.

Methods: In a multicenter, outcome-assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial, 304 patients with diabetes mellitus types I or II, loss of protective sensation based on peripheral neuropathy, and a history of foot ulceration in the preceding 4 years or a diagnosis of Charcot neuro-osteoarthropathy will be included. Enhanced therapy will consist of usual care and additional at-home daily measurement of foot temperatures at six to eight predefined locations on the foot. If a contralateral foot temperature difference of > 2.2 °C is found on two consecutive days, the participant is instructed to contact their podiatrist for further foot diagnosis or treatment, and to reduce ambulatory activity by 50% until temperatures are normalized. Enhanced therapy will be compared to usual care. The primary outcomes are the cost (savings) per patient without a foot ulcer (i.e., cost-effectiveness) and per quality-adjusted life year gained (i.e., cost-utility). The primary clinical outcome in the study is the proportion of patients with foot ulcer recurrence on the plantar foot, apical surfaces of the toes, the interdigital spaces or medial and lateral forefoot surfaces during 18-month follow-up.

Discussion: Confirmation of the efficacy of at-home foot temperature monitoring in ulcer prevention, together with assessing its usability, cost-effectiveness and cost-utility, could lead to implementation in Dutch health care, and in many settings across the world.

Trial registration: Netherlands Trial Registration: NTR5403 . Registered on 8 September 2015.

Keywords: Cost-effectiveness; Cost-utility; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic foot; Diabetic foot ulcer; Foot temperature; Home-monitoring; Prevention; Ulcer recurrence.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Ethical approval for the trial has been obtained by the METC of the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam (NL 52735.018.115). Important protocol modifications are communicated to the accredited METC and only effective after a favorable opinion by the METC. Informed consent to participate in the trial is obtained from all participants. The trial is conducted according to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki (64th version, October 2013) and in accordance with the Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trial (SPIRIT) Figure, study design overview. *Done by podiatrist during outpatient clinic visit, or retrospectively, from outpatient visit lists. T3, T6, T9,…refer to assessments at 3, 6, 9,…months’ follow-up. PAD peripheral arterial disease, SF-36 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, EQ-5D-3 L  3-Level EuroQol Quality of Life Scale, iPCQ Medical Technology Assessment (iMTA) Productivity Cost Questionnaire, iMCQ iMTA Medical Consumption Questionnaire
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