METHODS

Design:

randomised placebo controlled trial.

Allocation:

concealed.*

Blinding:

blinded (patients and healthcare providers).*

Follow up period:

6 months.

Setting:

4 hospitals in Sweden.

Patients:

87 diabetic patients (mean age 72.5 y, 71% men) with PAOD, chronic foot ulcers (Wagner classification ulcer stage I and II) with duration >2 months; toe blood pressure (TBP) to arm blood pressure index ⩽0.6; and a daily dose of aspirin, 75 mg, for ⩾4 weeks. Exclusion criteria included vascular reconstruction or angioplasty in previous 3 months, renal insufficiency (serum creatinine ⩾200 µmol/l), and anticoagulants. All patients continued to receive aspirin.

Intervention

patients were stratified …