Vinegar vs Normal Saline Dressing for Diabetic Foot Ulcers

NCT07373327 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: Exp133
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 84
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study is investigating the effectiveness of two different types of wound dressings in treating diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), a common complication of diabetes that can be difficult to heal. The study will compare the use of vinegar dressings to normal saline (saltwater) dressings to see which one helps heal the wound faster and more effectively. People with diabetic foot ulcers often struggle with infections and slow healing. The goal of this study is to determine if vinegar, a simple and affordable treatment, works better than saline in improving wound healing and reducing infections. The study will measure how quickly the wound heals, how much dead tissue is removed, and whether the bacteria in the wound disappear. This study will involve patients with infected diabetic foot ulcers. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either vinegar or saline dressing. The results will help determine the best and most cost-effective treatment for diabetic foot ulcers, potentially making it easier for patients to access better care.

Conditions

Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU)

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Rate of Negative Cultures

  Definition: The proportion of participants whose wound cultures become negative (no bacterial growth) by the end of the treatment period (e.g., 3 weeks or 8 weeks). Measurement: The swab cultures will be taken weekly, and the presence or absence of bacterial infection will be recorded until the wound is culture-negative. Rationale: This outcome is crucial as it directly measures the effectiveness of vinegar dressing in reducing wound infection compared to normal saline dressing.

  From enrollment to 8 weeks after treatment initiation

Study Arms (2)

Vinegar Dressing

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Vinegar Dressing

Normal Saline Dressing

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Other: Normal Saline Dressing

Interventions

Vinegar Dressing OTHER

In this arm, participants will receive a dressing made by soaking gauze in a vinegar solution. The solution will be prepared by adding one tablespoon of plain white vinegar to a cup of normal saline. The gauze will be applied to the wound in a wet-to-dry manner, twice daily, until the wound is fully healed or cultured negative. The goal is to assess the effectiveness of vinegar in promoting wound healing, reducing infection, and removing necrotic tissue.

Vinegar Dressing

Normal Saline Dressing OTHER

In this arm, participants will receive a dressing using normal saline (saltwater). The wound will be washed with normal saline and dressed in a wet-to-dry manner, twice daily, until the wound is fully healed or cultured negative. This arm will serve as the control group, with the goal of comparing the outcomes of saline dressing to vinegar dressing in terms of wound healing, bacterial infection reduction, and necrotic tissue removal.

Normal Saline Dressing

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age: 20 to 65 years.
• Gender: Both male and female participants are included.
• Condition: Patients with Grade 3 and 4 infected diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) according to the Wagner classification.

You may not qualify if:

• Wagner Grades 1, 2, 5, and 6 diabetic foot ulcers.
• History of Radiotherapy.
• History of Chemotherapy.
• Use of Steroids.
• Use of Immunosuppressive drugs.
• Allergy to vinegar.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Health Sciences Lahore: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Diabetic Foot

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Diabetic Angiopathies; Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Foot Ulcer; Leg Ulcer; Skin Ulcer; Skin Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Diabetes Complications; Diabetes Mellitus; Endocrine System Diseases; Diabetic Neuropathies

Central Study Contacts

Dr. MIAN MUHAMMAD BILAL Principal Investigator

CONTACT

03451110281; drbilal279@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 13, 2026
• First Posted: January 28, 2026
• Study Start: February 4, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 10, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Last Updated: January 28, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01