Ozone Therapy on Reduction of Bacterial Colonies and Acceleration of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Healing

Abstract

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are highly vulnerable to infection and pose risk for limb amputations. Studies have shown that ozone therapy reduces wound size and improves wound healing time better than standard treatments. We examined the effectiveness of combining standard wound care with ozone therapy to reduce bacterial colonization and accelerate healing of DFUs in the home care setting. The control group (n = 12) received standard wound care with antimicrobial dressings every 3 days for 21 days, and the intervention group (n = 15) received the same as control group plus ozone bagging therapy at 70 μg/mL for 10 minutes every 3 days for 21 days. Combining standard wound care with ozone therapy significantly decreased the number of bacterial colonies (p = 0.001). However, no significant difference in DFU assessment score was found between the intervention and control groups (p > 0.05). Combining standard wound care with ozone therapy reduced the number of bacteria in the DFUs but exerted no significant effect on wound healing. Future studies should examine the administration of ozone therapy with different concentrations and times of exposure to explore the right dose for healing DFUs.

Oxygen–Ozone Therapy in the Rehabilitation Field:State of the Art on Mechanisms of Action, Safety andEffectiveness in Patients with Musculoskeletal Disorders

“…In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the scientific literature about the biochemical properties of the O 2 O 3 mixture in order to better understand the basic mechanisms of action underpinning its systemic effects on human blood and tissues [10][11][12][13]. Several papers suggested relevant medical features of O 3 , including bactericidal and virucidal properties, inflammatory modulation and circulatory stimulation, with multiple applications in several medical fields including wound healing, ischemic disorders, infections and chronic inflammatory conditions like musculoskeletal disorders [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21].…”

Effectiveness and Safety of Ozone Therapy for Dermatological Disorders

“…Figure 2 presents an overview of the included clinical trials and Table 1 summarizes the most relevant data and main results from each study. [ 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 ]…”

“…A general analysis of clinical trials results suggests a positive response to the use of ozone therapy in the investigated dermatological conditions. The patients received ozone therapy by gaseous ozone[ 18 19 20 23 24 25 26 ] or incorporated in different vehicles such as water,[ 22 28 30 ] gel[ 24 ] and oil. [ 21 27 28 29 30 31 33 34 ] Only in three clinical trials ozone was not used topically, but were used through subcutaneous,[ 35 ] intralesional,[ 22 ] intravenous[ 22 32 ] and rectal[ 32 ] routes.…”

Ozone therapy as an alternative method for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer: a case report

“…investigated the effect of ozone therapy on reducing bacterial colonization and healing of DFUs in patients with second- and third-degree DFUs. They showed that routine care combined with ozone therapy can have a significant effect on the healing of DFUs in these patients [ 8 ]. Rosul et al .…”

“…Although several studies have shown the effectiveness of ozone therapy in treating infections and wounds because of its antimicrobial properties [ 2 , 8 ], the extensive use of this method as a treatment is restricted due to its side effects, including toxic effects on the respiratory tract [ 6 ]. It should be noted that these side effects are dose-dependent, and application requires a closed system ensuring no escape of ozone [ 10 ].…”