{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]],"date-time":"2026-01-09T18:29:59Z","timestamp":1767983399249,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"PeerJ","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]],"date-time":"2026-01-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767916800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"\n Objective<\/jats:title>\n The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of WeChat-based remote care guidance as a supplement to standard care for patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Our specific objectives were to compare healing rates, self-management behaviors, and patient satisfaction between the two groups, with a focus on identifying patient subgroups that might benefit most from this approach.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital between June 2021 and December 2022, with follow-up until December 2024. Among 131 eligible patients with diabetic foot ulcers (Wagner grades 1\u20134), 59 received WeChat -based guidance (intervention) while 72 received standard care (control). Primary outcomes included wound healing rate and time-to-healing. Quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) and treatment satisfaction (DTSQs) were assessed at baseline, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Analyses were adjusted for demographic characteristics, clinical parameters, and disease severity indicators.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n The intervention group showed significantly higher healing rates (88.1%\n vs<\/jats:italic>\n 63.9%,\n P<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.001) and faster healing time (HR = 2.27, 95% CI [1.35\u20133.82],\n P<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.002). The effect was particularly pronounced in Wagner grade 2\u20133 ulcers (HR = 14.3\u201334.2,\n P<\/jats:italic>\n < 0.001) and patients receiving interventional procedures (HR = 3.4, 95% CI [1.8\u20136.3],\n P<\/jats:italic>\n <0.001). At 24 months, the intervention group demonstrated greater improvements in quality of life (mean difference = 7.87,\n P<\/jats:italic>\n < 0.001) and treatment satisfaction (mean difference = 6.70,\n P<\/jats:italic>\n < 0.001).\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n WeChat-based remote care guidance was associated with better diabetic foot ulcer healing outcomes, particularly for moderate-severity ulcers and patients undergoing interventional procedures. Our findings also suggest associations between this approach and improvements in quality of life and treatment satisfaction.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.7717\/peerj.20624","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]],"date-time":"2026-01-09T08:56:41Z","timestamp":1767949001000},"page":"e20624","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Association between WeChat-based remote care guidance and diabetic foot ulcer healing: a retrospective cohort study"],"prefix":"10.7717","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"De Qin","family":"Chen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Vascular Surgery & Interventional Medicine, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chao Yun","family":"Jiang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vascular Surgery & Interventional Medicine, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tian Hong","family":"Cai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vascular Surgery & Interventional Medicine, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rong","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vascular Surgery & Interventional Medicine, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Teng Hui","family":"Zhan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vascular Surgery & Interventional Medicine, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China"},{"name":"College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"4443","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]]},"reference":[{"issue":"24","key":"10.7717\/peerj.20624\/ref-1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2367","DOI":"10.1056\/nejmra1615439","article-title":"Diabetic foot ulcers and their recurrence","volume":"376","author":"Armstrong","year":"2017","journal-title":"New England Journal of Medicine"},{"issue":"3 Suppl","key":"10.7717\/peerj.20624\/ref-2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"179S","DOI":"10.1097\/prs.0000000000002686","article-title":"The role of pressure offloading on diabetic foot ulcer healing and prevention of recurrence","volume":"138","author":"Bus","year":"2016","journal-title":"Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery"},{"issue":"Suppl 1","key":"10.7717\/peerj.20624\/ref-3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1002\/dmrr.2702","article-title":"Footwear and offloading interventions to prevent and heal foot ulcers and reduce plantar pressure in patients with diabetes: a systematic review","volume":"32","author":"Bus","year":"2016","journal-title":"Diabetes\/Metabolism Research and Reviews"},{"issue":"4","key":"10.7717\/peerj.20624\/ref-4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105710","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cmpb.2020.105710","article-title":"The value of WeChat application in chronic diseases management in China","volume":"196","author":"Chen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine"},{"issue":"3","key":"10.7717\/peerj.20624\/ref-5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"578","DOI":"10.1177\/15347346211033458","article-title":"Early and intensive glycemic control for diabetic foot ulcer healing: a prospective observational nested cohort study","volume":"22","author":"Dutta","year":"2023","journal-title":"The International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds"},{"issue":"7","key":"10.7717\/peerj.20624\/ref-6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1288","DOI":"10.2337\/dc07-2145","article-title":"Long-term outcome and disability of diabetic patients hospitalized for diabetic foot ulcers: a 6.5-year follow-up study","volume":"31","author":"Ghanassia","year":"2008","journal-title":"Diabetes Care"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.7717\/peerj.20624\/ref-7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.32734\/sumej.v5i1.9060","article-title":"Association of glycosyllated hemoglobin (Hba1c) levels to the severity of diabetic foot ulcer in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in RSUP. 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