The effect of topical olive oil dressing on the healing of grade 1 and 2 diabetic foot ulcers: An assessor-blind randomized controlled trial in type 2 diabetes patients

Abstract

Background and aims: We aimed to compare the effect of topical olive oil dressing plus standard care with standard care alone on the treatment of grade 1 and 2 diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.

Methods: This assessor-blind randomized controlled trial included 60 T2DM patients with DFU referred to the Diabetes Clinic of Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Bandar Abbas, Iran, from February 21 to August 22, 2017. Patients were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 30) and control (n = 30) groups. The intervention group received standard care, including wound irrigation with normal saline and oral antibiotics plus daily topical olive oil dressing for four weeks, and the control group only received standard care. The wound healing assessment scale (wound degree, color, drainage, and surrounding tissue healing) was recorded weekly and the total wound status was determined at the end of the study.

Results: Treatment with olive oil led to significantly higher scores of ulcer degree, color, drainage, and surrounding tissue healing at weeks one, two, three and four in the olive oil group than in the control group (P < 0.001). Also, the total wound status score was higher in the olive oil group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The proportions of completely healed, partially healed, and unhealed wounds were 76.6%, 23.3% and 0% in the intervention group, and 0%, 93.3% and 6.7% in the control group, respectively.

Conclusions: Topical olive oil dressing promoted the healing of DFU and it can be recommended as a safe and effective treatment in this regard.

Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT), IRCT20150607022585N4. Registered 05/12/2018. Retrospectively registered, https://www.irct.ir/trial/19460.

Keywords: Diabetes; Diabetic foot; Healing; Olive oil.