The use of stem cells in the treatment of diabetic foot syndrome: analysis of clinical data (review)

Diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) is one of the most common complications of diabetes and is a consequence of pathological changes in the peripheral nervous system, microcirculatory bed, as well as the osteoarticular apparatus of the foot, which poses a threat to the development of ulcerative necrotic processes and gangrene. It is reported that approximately 15% of patients with DM develop SDS, of which 14 to 24% undergo limb amputation. SDS also contributes significantly to early mortality, as 68% of amputees die within 5 years. The authors conducted an electronic search for publications in the PubMed and Elibrary databases. Stem cell therapy has been used as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of SDS. The results presented in this study demonstrate that the use of mesenchymal stem cells is safe and effective without clinically significant side effects and, therefore, can help prevent high limb amputations in uncomplicated diabetic foot ulcers. However, there are still a number of problems with the coordination of the most applicable type of cells, the method of their administration and dosages, which requires further research.