Authors' recommendations: The evidence presented in this report supports greater clinical efficacy of negative pressure wound therapy over other conventional treatments of diabetic foot ulcers. Conclusions are associated with a degree of uncertainty due to small sample sizes and potential for bias in the trials on which the evidence is based. There was no evidence identified suggesting an increased frequency of adverse events associated with negative pressure wound therapy. The majority of analyses also suggest that negative pressure wound therapy is more cost-effective than appropriate comparators, however the evidence also suggests this may not be the case in every healthcare setting and that improvements in efficacy estimates are needed to improve the accuracy of cost-effectiveness analysis. Identified guidelines suggest considering negative pressure wound therapy for diabetic foot ulcers, although the most recent Canadian guidelines identified cite a lack of evidence to support any recommendations regarding the use of negative pressure wound therapy.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2014

URL for published report: http://www.cadth.ca/media/pdf/htis/dec-2014/RC0579-001%20Diabetic%20Foot%20Ulcers%20Final.pdf

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Canada

Organisation Name: Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health

Contact Address: 600-865 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1S 5S8 Canada. Tel: +1 613 226 2553; Fax: +1 613 226 5392;

Contact Name: requests@cadth.ca

Contact Email: requests@cadth.ca

Copyright: Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH)