COMPARISON OF CONVENTIONAL PYODINE DRESSING WITH HONEY DRESSING FOR THE TREATMENT OF DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS

Objective: To compare the conventional pyodine dressing with honey dressing in terms of recovery time and outcome (healed or ended up with amputation) in diabetic foot ulcers.Methodology: This quasi-experimental study was performed in surgical C ward, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from November 2007 to November 2008. All Wegner s grade I-IV, unilateral diabetic foot ulcer patients were admitted and their blood sugar profile, cardiac and renal status were investigated. Patients were assigned to group A and B with simple convenience method. After ample wound debridement group A and B were treated with daily conventional Pyodine dressing and Honey dressing respectively and their recovery time, outcome were recorded during the 10 weeks follow up period.Results: A total of 100 patients with 50 patients in each group A and B were enrolled in the study with mean age 56+8.0 years and male to female ratio of 1.7:1. Recovery time was significantly quicker in the Group B (Honey Dressing) as compared with the group A (conventional Pyodine dressing) with a p-valve of 0.0001. Healing rate was 69% and amputation rate was 31% as a whole. Healing rate was 66% in the Group A in comparison with 72%, in the group B while amputation rates were 34% and 28% in the group A and B respectively with no statistical significance with a p-value of 0.6658.Conclusion: Honey dressing is more effective than conventional Pyodine dressing in terms of recovery time in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer.