Preventing Amputations by Tailored Risk-based Intervention to Optimize Therapy (PATRIOT)

Amputation is a devastating complication of diabetes that is preceded in > 80% of cases by foot ulcers. Veterans with diabetes are at risk for incident foot ulcers, particularly if they have neuropathy, vascular disease or anatomic abnormalities. This risk is worsened if they have poor foot self-care, poor foot self-monitoring and/or poor control of A1c and other risk factors. It is important to activate at-risk Veterans to improve self-care and self-monitoring, and lower other amputation risks.

The PATRIOT study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the effectiveness of a personalized behavioral intervention (PBI) aimed to improve foot self-care, foot self-monitoring, and modifiable risks for amputation such as A1c, BP, LDL and smoking using behavioral counseling combined with dermal thermometry. The primary specific aim is to evaluate the effect of PBI on the proportion of foot lesions (ulcerative or non-ulcerative) compared to current best practice (CBP) care for diabetes. The secondary specific aims are to evaluate the impact of PBI on foot self-care skills, foot education and adherence, A1c, BP and LDL, and quality of life at 6 months as well as its longer-term effects at 12 months; and cost-effectiveness compared to CBP. The will also examine the effect of PBI and CBP on demonstrated foot self-care, plantar pressures, inflammation, satisfaction and intervention acceptability.

The investigators will randomize 404 adults with diabetes who are at higher than normal risk of foot ulcers [Risk score of 1, 2 or 3 (with no history of ulcers or amputations)] to the PBI and CBP equally. The PBI is a cohesive, personalized intervention targeting foot self-care and self-monitoring that includes dermal thermometry, diet, exercise, and medication-taking incorporating self-regulatory theory, the Transtheoretical Model and Prospect Theory and delivered using Motivational Interviewing principles and the teach back method. The interventions will be standardized and fidelity of the intervention will be maintained. Through a blinded RCT, the investigators will test the effect of PBI in relation to CBP. Key outcomes are non-ulcerative and ulcerative lesions, foot-care skills, foot care education, adherence to diet and medication, general and foot health-specific quality of life, A1c, BP, and LDL. Outcomes will be measured at baseline, 6 and 12 months. All analyses will be intent-to-treat.

This study will evaluate a cohesive risk-stratified personalized behavioral intervention aimed to improve self-care, enhance self-monitoring and reduce incident ulcers in adults without a previous diabetic foot ulcer. This study applies established behavioral theories combined with new technology to intervene and improve care for adults with diabetes who are at risk for amputation. If this promising theory-driven primary prevention approach to prevent foot lesions can work in a clinical setting where improvements in foot care are urgently needed, it will be an important scientific contribution that could lower the risk of amputation in adults with diabetes.