Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Diabetes. Mar 15, 2025; 16(3): 100329
Published online Mar 15, 2025. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i3.100329
Comprehensive review on diabetic foot ulcers and neuropathy: Treatment, prevention and management
Kehkashan Parveen, Malik Asif Hussain, Sadaf Anwar, Halima Mustafa Elagib, Mohd Adnan Kausar
Kehkashan Parveen, Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
Malik Asif Hussain, Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Ha’il, Ha'il 53962, Saudi Arabia
Sadaf Anwar, Mohd Adnan Kausar, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ha’il, Ha'il 53962, Saudi Arabia
Halima Mustafa Elagib, Department of Pharmacology, University of Ha’il, Ha'il 53962, Saudi Arabia
Author contributions: Parveen K, Hussain MA and Kausar MA performed a systematic search, data extraction, and statistical analyses; Anwar S and Elagib HM were involved in data interpretation, article writing, and editing; All authors had full access to all the data in the study and had final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication.
Supported by the King Salman Center for Disability Research, No. KSRG-2023-407.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Mohd Adnan Kausar, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ha’il, University City-Hail, Al Khitah Street, Ha'il 53962, Saudi Arabia. ma.kausar@uoh.edu.sa
Received: August 14, 2024
Revised: November 27, 2024
Accepted: December 27, 2024
Published online: March 15, 2025
Processing time: 160 Days and 13.7 Hours
Abstract

Diabetic foot (DF) is a major public health concern. As evident from numerous previous studies, supervision of DF ulcer (DFU) is crucial, and a specific quality check-up is needed. Patients should be educated about glycaemic management, DFUs, foot lesions, proper care for injuries, diet, and surgery. Certain reasonably priced treatments, such as hyperbaric oxygen and vacuum-assisted closure therapy, are also available for DFUs, along with modern wound care products and techniques. Nonetheless, DF care (cleaning, applying antimicrobial cream when wounded, and foot reflexology), blood glucose monitoring to control diabetes, and monthly or quarterly examinations in individuals with diabetes are effective in managing DFUs. Between 50% and 80% of DF infections are preventable. Regardless of the intensity of the lesion, it needs to be treated carefully and checked daily during infection. Tissue regeneration can be aided by cleaning, dressing, and application of topical medicines. The choice of shoes is also important because it affects blood circulation and nerve impulses. In general, regular check-ups, monitoring of the patient’s condition, measuring blood glucose levels, and providing frequent guidance regarding DFU care are crucial. Finally, this important clinical problem requires involvement of multiple professionals to properly manage it.

Keywords: Diabetic foot ulcers; Diabetic neuropathy; Diabetes mellitus; Peripheral neuropathy; Charcot neuroarthropathy

Core Tip: The present review examines the aetiology and pathology of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), with a detailed discussion on diabetic peripheral neuropathy as a key factor in the development of DFUs. Furthermore, conditions such as peripheral artery disease/ischaemia, wound infection, and impaired wound healing that are directly associated with the occurrence of ulcers are described in the next sections. Additionally, the review emphasises the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, glycaemic control, and patient education. This article will, therefore, contribute to the understanding of the new DFU screening systems and provide further insights for innovative treatment research.