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Hemoglobin A1C predicts healing rate in diabetic wounds

Publication ,  Journal Article
Christman, AL; Selvin, E; Margolis, DJ; Lazarus, GS; Garza, LA
Published in: Journal of Investigative Dermatology
January 1, 2011

Lower-extremity wounds are a major complication of diabetes. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) reflects glycemia over 2-3 months and is the standard measure used to monitor glycemia in diabetic patients, but results from studies have not shown a consistent association of HbA1c with wound healing. We hypothesized that elevated HbA1c would be most associated with poor wound healing. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of 183 diabetic individuals treated at the Johns Hopkins Wound Center. Our primary outcome was wound-area healing rate (cm2 per day). Calibrated tracings of digital images were used to measure wound area. We estimated coefficients for healing rate using a multiple linear regression model controlling for clustering of wounds within individuals and other common clinic variables. The study population was 45% female and 41% African American, with a mean age of 61 years. Mean HbA1c was 8.0%, and there were 2.3 wounds per individual (310 wounds total). Of all measures assessed, only HbA1c was significantly associated with wound-area healing rate. In particular, for each 1.0% point increase in HbA1c, the daily wound-area healing rate decreased by 0.028 cm 2 per day (95% confidence interval: 0.003, 0.0054, P0.027). Our results suggest that glycemia, as assessed by HbA1c, may be an important biomarker in predicting wound-healing rate in diabetic patients. © 2011 The Society for Investigative Dermatology.

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Published In

Journal of Investigative Dermatology

DOI

EISSN

1523-1747

ISSN

0022-202X

Publication Date

January 1, 2011

Volume

131

Issue

10

Start / End Page

2121 / 2127

Related Subject Headings

  • Dermatology & Venereal Diseases
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Christman, A. L., Selvin, E., Margolis, D. J., Lazarus, G. S., & Garza, L. A. (2011). Hemoglobin A1C predicts healing rate in diabetic wounds. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 131(10), 2121–2127. https://doi.org/10.1038/jid.2011.176
Christman, A. L., E. Selvin, D. J. Margolis, G. S. Lazarus, and L. A. Garza. “Hemoglobin A1C predicts healing rate in diabetic wounds.” Journal of Investigative Dermatology 131, no. 10 (January 1, 2011): 2121–27. https://doi.org/10.1038/jid.2011.176.
Christman AL, Selvin E, Margolis DJ, Lazarus GS, Garza LA. Hemoglobin A1C predicts healing rate in diabetic wounds. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2011 Jan 1;131(10):2121–7.
Christman, A. L., et al. “Hemoglobin A1C predicts healing rate in diabetic wounds.” Journal of Investigative Dermatology, vol. 131, no. 10, Jan. 2011, pp. 2121–27. Scopus, doi:10.1038/jid.2011.176.
Christman AL, Selvin E, Margolis DJ, Lazarus GS, Garza LA. Hemoglobin A1C predicts healing rate in diabetic wounds. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2011 Jan 1;131(10):2121–2127.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of Investigative Dermatology

DOI

EISSN

1523-1747

ISSN

0022-202X

Publication Date

January 1, 2011

Volume

131

Issue

10

Start / End Page

2121 / 2127

Related Subject Headings

  • Dermatology & Venereal Diseases
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences