A Multicenter, Blinded, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Evaluating the Effect of Omega-3-Rich Fish Skin in the Treatment of Chronic, Nonresponsive Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Omega-3-rich fish skin grafts have been shown to accelerate wound healing in full-thickness wounds. The goal of this study was to compare the fish skin graft with standard of care (SOC) using collagen alginate dressing in the management of treatment-resistant diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), defined as superficial ulcers not involving tendon capsule or bone. Patients with DFUs who were first treated with SOC (offloading, appropriate debridement, and moist wound care) for a 2-week screening period were then randomized to either receiving SOC alone or SOC plus fish skin graft applied weekly for up to 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the percentage of wounds closed at 12 weeks. Forty-nine patients were included in the final analysis. At 12 weeks, 16 of 24 patients' DFUs (67%) in the fish skin arm were completely closed, compared with 8 of 25 patients' DFUs (32%) in the SOC arm (P value = .0152 [N = 49]; significant at P < .047). At 6 weeks, the percentage area reduction was 41.2% in the SOC arm and 72.8% in the fish skin arm. The application of fish skin graft to previously nonresponsive DFUs resulted in significantly more fully healed wounds at 12 weeks than SOC alone. The study findings support the use of fish skin graft for chronic DFUs that do not heal with comprehensive SOC treatment.