Effect of Virtual Reality on Pain, Anxiety and Vital Signs During Diabetic Foot Care

May 7, 2026 updated by: Yasemin Özkul, Malatya Turgut Ozal University

The Effect of Virtual Reality Intervention on Pain Level, State Anxiety, and Vital Signs During Foot Care in Individuals With Diabetic Foot Ulcers

This study aims to determine the effects of a virtual reality (VR) intervention on pain level, state anxiety, and vital signs during foot care in individuals with diabetic foot ulcers. The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial and includes 64 individuals with diabetes (intervention=32, control=32). The intervention group will receive VR during diabetic foot care, while the control group will receive standard care. Data will be collected at pre-test and post-test using the Demographic Information Form, Vital Signs Form, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain. Data analysis will be performed using SPSS 22.0.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
64

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Malatya
      • Malatya, Malatya, Turkey (Türkiye), 4400
        • Malatya Turgut Özal University Training and Research Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 years and older Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Diabetic foot ulcer classified as Wagner stage 3 or 4 No mental or physical condition that would interfere with communication or participation No visual or hearing impairment Ability to understand and speak Turkish Willingness to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of chronic wounds other than diabetic foot ulcer (e.g., arterial or venous ulcers) Age under 18 years

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Intervention Group (VR Group)
Participants received virtual reality (VR) intervention during diabetic foot care procedures in addition to standard care. VR was used as a non-pharmacological distraction method during the procedure.
Other: VR
Participants in the intervention group received virtual reality (VR) exposure during diabetic foot care procedures. A virtual reality headset was used as a non-pharmacological distraction method to reduce pain and anxiety. The VR intervention was applied during the procedure in addition to standard diabetic foot care. Vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature were monitored before and after the procedure to evaluate physiological responses.
Other Names:
  • VR GLASSES
  • Standard Diabetic Foot Care
Other: Standard Diabetic Foot Care
Participants in the control group received standard diabetic foot care according to institutional protocols, without any virtual reality intervention. Vital signs including blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature were monitored before and after the procedure.
Active Comparator: Control Group
Participants received standard diabetic foot care without virtual reality intervention.
Other: Standard Diabetic Foot Care
Participants in the control group received standard diabetic foot care according to institutional protocols, without any virtual reality intervention. Vital signs including blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature were monitored before and after the procedure.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Pain Level
Time Frame: Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Pain intensity measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), a 10 cm horizontal line anchored at 0 (no pain) and 10 (worst imaginable pain). Higher scores indicate greater pain. Change is calculated as post-test score minus pre-test score.
Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in State Anxiety
Time Frame: Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
State anxiety measured using the State subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-I), a validated 20-item self-report scale scored 20-80. Higher scores indicate greater anxiety. Change is calculated as post-test score minus pre-test score.
Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Body Temperature
Time Frame: Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Body temperature (°C) measured using a non-contact infrared thermometer (Life Net Medical JA-11C). Change is calculated as post-test value minus pre-test value.
Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Change in Oxygen Saturation (SpO₂)
Time Frame: Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂, %) measured using a fingertip pulse oximeter (Life Net Medical PFX033). Change is calculated as post-test value minus pre-test value.
Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Change in Pulse Rate
Time Frame: Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Pulse rate (beats per minute) measured using a fingertip pulse oximeter (Life Net Medical PFX033). Change is calculated as post-test value minus pre-test value.
Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Change in Respiratory Rate
Time Frame: Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Respiratory rate (breaths per minute) assessed by direct observation and counting by the researcher. Change is calculated as post-test value minus pre-test value.
Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Change in Systolic Blood Pressure
Time Frame: Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) measured using an upper-arm automated sphygmomanometer (Omron M3 Comfort HEM-7155-E) after the participant had been seated and resting for at least 5 minutes. Change is calculated as post-test value minus pre-test value.
Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Change in Diastolic Blood Pressure
Time Frame: Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) measured using an upper-arm automated sphygmomanometer (Omron M3 Comfort HEM-7155-E) after the participant had been seated and resting for at least 5 minutes. Change is calculated as post-test value minus pre-test value.
Pre-test: approximately 5 minutes before foot care; Post-test: within 0-2 minutes after completion of foot care

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Malatya Turgut Ozal University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 9, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 15, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
April 30, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 7, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 14, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 14, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 7, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • E-30785963-020-266758

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared due to patient privacy and confidentiality concerns. The data are collected within a single institutional clinical study for academic thesis purposes and are not planned for public data sharing.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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