Effect of Holofiber Socks and Bedding on Pain and Quality of Sleep in Subjects With Chronic Foot Pain

Overview

This study is designed to assess the effects of socks and bedding materials on foot pain, the level of blood oxygen existing in the feet and quality of sleep in subjects who have chronic foot pain from either diabetic neuropathy or other conditions, e.g., peripheral arterial disease, regenerative joint disease). The three main hypotheses to be tested are: 1)compared to placebo socks, subjects wearing Holofiber socks experience reduction in foot pain, 2)compared to placebo bedding, subjects sleeping in beds lined with a Holofiber mattress pad experience improved quality of sleep and 3) compared to placebo socks, subjects who wear Holofiber socks will have increased blood oxygenation levels in their feet.

Holofiber is a patented process for adding micron sized optically active quartz, aluminum oxide and titanium oxide particles to polymer yarns. It is believed that the Holofiber particles increase skin illumination such that pigments and other enzymes are activated, leading to increased blood flow and oxygenation of the skin and neighboring soft tissues. Previous clinical trials have demonstrated approximately a 7% increase in skin oxygen levels with the use of Holofiber gloves and socks, compared to gloves and socks fabricated from identical polymer fiber lacking the optical particles. Numerous anecdotal reports from patients with chronic foot and arm pain indicate wearing Holofiber garments for even a few days leads to dramatic improvement in many different painful conditions. Similarly, many subjects with chronic sleep disturbances have reported improved quality of sleep using Holofiber bedding. The current study is designed to 1) substantiate the ability of Holofiber socks to alleviate chronic pain resulting from diabetic neuropathy and other chronic foot disorders, 2) determine if Holofiber bedding improves quality of sleep and 3) determine if Holofiber socks increase blood oxygenation levels in the feet after wear. Subjects who give informed consent and meet the study inclusion and exclusion criterial will undergo a brief medical history and physical examination, including monofilament testing for sensory neuropathy and measurement of blood pressure in all four extremities using Doppler ultrasound, and will answer a panel of questionnaires that assess pain and sleep quality. Spouses or partners of eligible subjects will similarly be consented to fill out the questionnaires related to sleep if they share the same bed with the participating subject. Subjects and spouses/partners will be asked to return one week later to complete the same questionnaires, at which time subjects will be randomized (double-blind) to receive either Holofiber or placebo socks and bedding materials. Subjects will be instructed to use the socks and bedding material exclusively for two weeks. Subjects and spouses/partners will return at three and four weeks for follow-up with repeat questionnaires at each visit. At Visit 4, subjects will have their feet photographed using a Hyperspectral camera to identify blood oxygenation before and after wearing the Holofiber and placebo socks. Once the final set of photographs has been taken, the visit is ended and the patients participation is concluded.