Researchers from the University of Washington, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Merck Laboratories, and Mount Sinai School of Medicine have released a study suggesting that specific laboratory and clinical tests can predict outcome of antibiotic therapy for infections in persons with diabetes.

"This study is unique in a couple of ways," said Dr. David G. Armstrong, Professor of Surgery at Scholl’s Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR) at Rosalind Franklin University. "It comes from the largest-ever clinical trial of antibiotics for this type of infection, and it used very specific, day-to-day measures that can be done in any hospital, world wide."

Among other findings, the study revealed that a bad outcome rose nearly five-fold for wounds that were either assessed as being deep, or those that were associated with a very high white blood cell count. Dr. Armstrong concluded that "Data from this study will now help us continue to move forward to better care for those patients who are most in need."

The study was published in this month’s International Wound Journal.