METHOD: In this prospective, cross-over single-centre study, 50 healthy medical student volunteers were randomly allocated to two treatment arms. One arm was prescribed with potassium citrate, while the other arm received citrate supplementation with a home preparation of fresh lime juice. The urinary pH and calcium-to-creatinine ratio (uCa/uCr) were measured at baseline and after 7 days of treatment. This was followed by a washout period of 2 weeks, after which each participant crossed over to the other treatment arm, and the urinary measurements were repeated.

RESULTS: Potassium citrate significantly increased the urinary pH among all participants, while fresh lime juice did not. Both fresh lime juice and potassium citrate reduced the uCa/uCr, although this effect was not significant.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 128 diabetic patients with foot ulcers were recruited and divided into two groups, consisting of 73 patients in the IDFU group and 55 in the non-infected diabetic foot ulcer (NIDFU). The severity of infection in IDFU patients was graded based on the Infectious Disease Society of America-International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot classification. Blood samples from all the patients were collected for measurement of PCT, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and white cell count (WBC). The area under the receiver operating curves (AUC) were then constructed and analysed.

RESULTS: PCT, hs-CRP and WBC levels were significantly higher in the IDFU group compared to NIDFU with hs-CRP demonstrated the highest AUC (0.91; p <0.001) followed by PCT (0.814; p < 0.001) and lastly WBC (0.775; p < 0.001). The best cut off value, sensitivity and specificity for the presence of infection in diabetic foot, were 3.47 mg/dL, 80% and 89% for hs-CRP, 0.11 ng/ml, 70% and 87% for PCT and 11.8x109/L, 60% and 90% for WBC. All the infection markers showed significant positive correlations with infection severity of DFU.