The effect of an intensive patients’ education program on anxiety, depression and patient global assessment in diabetic foot ulcer patients with Wagner grade 1/2: A randomized, controlled study

This study aimed to synthetically evaluate the impact of intensive patients’ education program (IEP) on anxiety, depression and patient global assessment (PGA) in diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) patients. One hundred eighty DFU patients with Wagner grade 1 and Wagner grade 2 were consecutively recruited in this randomized, controlled study and randomly assigned to IEP group (N = 90) or control group (N = 90) as 1:1 ratio. In the IEP group, patients received the IEP and usual care, and patients in the control group received usual care only. IEP included educating patients and their family members, supervising patients’ harmful habits and diets, psychological care for the patients and establishing a patient-physician-nurse WeChat group. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-anxiety/depression (HADS-A/D) and Zung Self-Rating Anxiety/depression Scale (SAS/SDS) were applied to assess anxiety/depression at M0-M3. PGA score was also assessed at M0-M3. For anxiety assessment, IEP group presented decreased HADS-A/SAS scores at M2/M3 and increased HADS-A/SAS score changes (M3-M0) compared to control group. For depression assessment, IEP group displayed reduced HADS-D/SDS scores at M2/M3 and raised SDS score change (M3-M0) compared to control group. Moreover, IEP group exhibited reduced PGA score at M1/M2/M3 and elevated PGA score change (M3-M0) compared to control group. Further subgroup analyses disclosed that IEP reduced HADS-A/SAS/HADS-D/PGA scores at M3 and elevated these score changes (M3-M0) in patients with Wagener grade 2 but not Wagener grade 1. IEP ameliorates anxiety, depression and PGA in DFU patients with Wagner grade 2 but not Wagner grade 1.