Efficacy of 15% lysine cream in treating diabetic foot ulcers: a randomized interventional study.

Background and objective: Lysine is an essential amino acid involved in several biochemical pathways. It has been shown to enhance blood supply and target growth factors, leading to improved wound healing. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a 15% lysine cream in treating diabetic foot ulcers, as measured by the Bates-Jensen Wound Assessment Tool (BWAT).

Materials and method: A randomized, open-label, interventional study was conducted on 40 volunteers with diabetic ulcers. The treatment group (n=20) received well-known treatment along with lysine cream (15%) twice daily, while the control group (n=20) received standard therapy alone. Wound healing was evaluated using the BWAT. The student t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare the clinical assessment parameters to the baseline.

Results: Both groups showed a significant decrease in ulcer size, depth, edges, undermining, necrotic tissue type, necrotic tissue amount, exudate type, and exudate amount over six weeks, with no significant difference between the groups after the first week. The lysine-treated group showed a significant improvement in wound healing compared to the control group (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that a 15% lysine cream can significantly improve wound healing in diabetic foot ulcer patients, as measured by the BWAT, compared to standard treatment alone. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to explore the underlying mechanisms of lysine's therapeutic effects.