A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial of Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma Gel for the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Background: Nonhealing diabetic foot ulcers are a common cause of amputation. Emerging cellular therapies such as platelet-rich plasma gel provide ulcer management options to avoid loss of limb. The purpose of this prospective, randomized, controlled, blinded, multicenter clinical study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of autologous platelet-rich plasma gel for the treatment of nonhealing diabetic foot ulcers.

Methods: One hundred, twenty-nine (129) patients were screened; 72 completed a 7-day screening period and met the study inclusion criteria. Patients were randomized into two groups – the standard care with platelet-rich plasma gel or control (saline gel) dressing group – and evaluated biweekly for 12 weeks or until healing. Healing was confirmed 1 week following closure and monitored for another 11 weeks.

Results: An independent audit led to the exclusion of 32 patients from the final per-protocol analysis because of protocol violations and failure to complete treatment. In this group, 13 out of 19 (68.4%) of the platelet-rich plasma gel and nine out of 21 (42.9%) of the control wounds healed. After adjusting for wound size outliers (n = 5), significantly more platelet-rich plasma gel (13 out of 16, 81.3%) than control gel (eight out of 19, 42.1%) treated wounds healed (P = 0.036, Fisher’s exact test). Kaplan-Meier time-to-healing also was significantly different between groups (log-rank, P = 0.0177). No treatment-related serious adverse events were reported and bovine thrombin used in the preparation of PRP did not cause Factor V inhibition.

Conclusion: When used with good standards of care, the majority of nonhealing diabetic foot ulcers treated with autologous platelet-rich plasma gel can be expected to heal.