Identification of Comfort Level Based on Transforming Growth Factor β1 and Cortisol Levels in Patients with Chronic Wound

Comfort is one among several aspects that should be considered in the treatment of diabetic wounds. This study aimed to analyze the expression of TGF β1 and the level of cortisol in modern and conventional wound care techniques of diabetic wounds. TGF β1 expression and cortisol levels were measured on day 0 (pretest) and 4 (posttest). Samples were taken from patients with diabetic ulcer in the Saiful Anwar District Hospital at Malang. The expression of TGF β1 was measured by immunohistochemical methods in the Department of Physiology, Brawijaya University Faculty of Medicine. Cortisol level was measured with ELISA method. The results obtained from the modern group were increased TGF β1 expression and decreased cortisol level. The conventional group yielded decreased TGF β1 expression and decreased cortisol level. The cortisol level decrease was greater in the modern group. T test results showed no significant differences of modern wound care techniques and conventional on the expression of TGF β1 and cortisol levels in diabetic wounds (p value 0,05). Pearson correlation test results showed a significant relationship between changes in cortisol levels with changes in expression of TGF β1 (p = 0,028). It can be concluded that the techniques of modern wound care is more able to increase the expression of TGF β1 and to decrease the cortisol levels compared with conventional techniques.