Evidence Mapping of Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations for Self-Management Strategies of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Significance: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a common complication of diabetes, characterized by chronic, hard-to-heal wounds that can lead to serious infections and amputations. Effective self-management is crucial for treatment and prevention. Recent Advances: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across academic databases, clinical practice guideline (CPG) databases, and the websites of diabetes societies. The characteristics, recommendations, and evaluation criteria of the CPGs were extracted and organized using Excel. Four researchers independently assessed the methodological and reporting quality of the CPGs using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation II instrument and the Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in HealThcare checklist. Data were synthesized and visualized through evidence mapping to provide an overview of current guideline coverage and key recommendations. Critical Issues: This study included 13 CPGs and synthesized 46 recommendations. Self-management strategies for patients with DFU mainly involve health education, foot self-care, lifestyle change, comorbidity/symptom management, as well as follow-up and medical help-seeking. The identified CPGs were of mixed quality, with four classified as high quality. With respect to methodology, the CPGs performed well in scope and purpose (82.6%±10.9%) and clarity (80.77%±9.19%), but showed deficiencies in stakeholder involvement (52.8%; interquartile range [IQR]: 17.3%) and editorial independence (58.3%; IQR: 82.3%). For reporting quality, limitations were noted in transparency regarding review and quality assurance (18.75%; IQR: 100%), as well as funding and declaration of interests (12.5%; IQR: 32.82%). Future Directions: The evidence provided by CPGs for DFU self-management varied in strength, and some recommendations were inconsistent. The results adds to our knowledge and promotes the development of trustworthy CPGs on DFU. Further research is necessary to propose more evidence-based and high-quality recommendations.