Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between CXCL-6 levels in wound exudates and healing of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU).
Materials & methods: One hundred patients with neuropathic DFU were recruited. Wound exudate CXCL-6 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients were followed for 24 weeks and divided into rapidly healing and nonhealing groups.
Results: Compared with the NH group, the mean CXCL-6 levels in the wound exudates of the rapidly healing group were significantly higher. After adjusting for traditional risk factors, wound exudate CXCL-6 levels were still significantly associated with wound healing.
Conclusion: CXCL6 is an independent predictor of wound healing in DFU patients and may be a potentially novel therapeutic target for the treatment of DFU.
Keywords: CXCL6; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; biomarker; chemokine; complication; diabetic foot; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; neuropathy; therapeutic target; wound healing.