The aim of the study was to assess the effect of application of
OpSite dressings on the
pain and quality of life in 33 patients with chronic
diabetic neuropathy. The effect of
OpSite was compared with no treatment. After a run-in period of 2 weeks,
OpSite was applied to one of the painful legs for 4 weeks. This was followed by another period of 4 weeks when
OpSite was switched to the opposite leg.
Pain was assessed by visual analogue scale and the primary analysis variable was within patient difference in
pain between
OpSite leg and no treatment leg at week 4 corrected for baseline. Secondary variables were
paracetamol pill ingestion and the quality of life dimensions, sleep, mobility, contact discomfort, appetite, and mood. Changes in these variables from baseline to weeks 4 and 8 were analysed. There was a significantly greater reduction in
pain in the
OpSite treated limbs than the control limbs (p < 0.001). By week 4
paracetamol intake also declined significantly (p = 0.034) and patients experienced a significant improvement in contact discomfort, sleep, mood, appetite, and mobility (p < 0.002 for all 5 variables).
OpSite appeared to alleviate the
pain associated with diabetic
painful neuropathy and thus improved patients' quality of life.