BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Diabetic foot ulcer is a major complication caused by diabetes. Electrical stimulation is considered as an efficient modality of diabetic wound healing. This study aimed to investigate the effects of direct-current stimulation of cathodal on skin temperature and acceleration of ischemic diabetic foot ulcer closing.

METHODS: This randomized, single-blinded, clinical trial was conducted from November 2013 to September 2014 on 20 patients with type II diabetes suffering from ischemic diabetic foot ulcers. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups of electrical stimulation and placebo. The electrical stimulation group received direct-current cathodal stimulation to the wound for one hour a day, repeating three days a week (4 weeks, 12 sessions), and the placebo group underwent the same procedure with zero-intensity electrical stimulation. Skin surface temperature was measured in the plantar and dorsal areas of the diabetic foot before and after the intervention at sessions one, six and twelve. In addition, the surface of ulcer area was measured at the same intervals (IRCT: 2014110819854 N1).

FINDINGS: Comparison of the study groups indicated the mean of skin temperature changes to be significantly higher in the stimulation group compared to the placebo group at sessions one (p=0.01, 0.41±0.2 and 0.75±0.26), six (p=0.01, 0.25±0.27 and 0.6±0.21) and twelve (P=0.007, 0.25±0.27 and 0.66±0.23), respectively. In addition, reduction of the wounded area was considerably higher in the electrical stimulation group (52.68%) compared to the placebo group (38.39%) at session 12 (p=0.02).

CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, direct-current cathodal stimulation could improve skin temperature and accelerate wound closing in ischemic diabetic ulcers.