A CALM MIND CURES ULCERS

Diabetes suffers with foot ulcers healed better when they were relaxed and had a positive mental outlook, a study found. Researchers whose findings are published in Diabetogia say psychological treatments could be an important weapon against illness and injury.

The five-year study of 93 diabetics showed their ulcers a common complication of the condition caused by blood flow problems had different rates of healing according to how they coped mentally. Those who showed a “confrontational” way of dealing with it characterized by a desire to take control of the ulcers and its treatment were less likely to be cured after 24 weeks. But those who were more relaxed and put the problem out of their mind demonstrated a faster rate of healing.

A secondary analysis of each patient which examined the relationship of psycho social factors with the change in the size of the ulcer showed depression was a significant predictor in how the size of the ulcer changed over time. Patients with clinical depression showing smaller changes in ulcer size over time in other words there was less improvement for healing.

University and colleagues are now developing psychological treatments to reduce depression in suffers and help them cope more effectively with the debilitating and potentially life-threatening condition. Foot ulcers are sores which form when a minor skin injury fails to heal because of micro vascular and metabolic dysfunction caused by diabetes. Up to 15 percent of people with diabetes develop them with many suffering depression and poorer quality of life as a result.

The five-year amputation and death rates among patients are 19 percent and 44 percent respectively. Ulcers account for around four out of five half of diabetes-related hospital admissions.

During the study in which patients with diabetic foot ulcers were recruited from specialist clinics across the UK. Psychological distress, coping style and levels of stress hormone cortisol in saliva were assessed and recorded at the start of the monitoring period. The size of each patient’s ulcer was measured and then at six. 12 and 24 weeks the extent of healing or otherwise was recorded.