Abstract
Treatment strategies for foot at risk and diabetic foot are mainly preventive. Studies describing demographic data, clinical and impacting factors continue to be, however, scarce. Our objective was to determine the epidemiological presentation of diabetic foot and understand whether there were easily assessable variables capable of predicting the development of diabetic foot. This was a retrospective study of 496 patients with established foot at risk or diabetic foot, who were evaluated based on age, gender, type and duration of diabetes, foot at risk classification, and the presence of deformities, ulceration, and amputation. The presence of deformities, ulceration, and amputation was recorded in 45.9, 25.3, and 12.9 % of patients, respectively. As for diabetic foot classification, the great majority of our cohort had diabetic neuropathy (92.9 %). Approximately 30 % had neuro-ischemic disease and only 7.1 % had ischemic disease alone. Sixty-two percent of patients presented neuropathy with no signs of arteriopathy. Foot classification was as a significant predictor for the presence of ulcer (p = 0.009; OR = 3.2; 95 % CI = 1.18–7.3). Only male gender was a significant predictor for ulceration (p < 0.001). Predictors of amputation were male gender (p < 0.001; OR = 3.44 95 % CI = 1.81–6.56) and neuro-ischemic diabetic foot (p < 0.049; OR = 4.6; 95 % CI = 1.01–20.9). The predictors for diabetic foot were male gender and the presence of neuropathy. The combination of neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease adds significantly to the risk for amputation among patients with the diabetic foot syndrome. Men, presenting combined risk factors, should be a group receiving special attention and in the foot clinic, due to their potentially worse evolution.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- ABI:
-
Ankle/brachial index
- IO:
-
Ischemic only group
- NI:
-
Neuro-ischemic group
- NP:
-
Neuropathy only group
References
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National diabetes statistics fact sheet: general information and national estimates on diabetes in the United States (2005). Available at: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/index.htm. Accessed 16 April 2008
V. Viswanathan, J.R. Wadud, S. Madhavan, S. Rajasekar, S. Kumpatla, J.K. Lutale, Z.G. Abbas, Comparison of post amputation outcome in patients with type 2 diabetes from specialized foot care centers in three developing countries. Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 88, 146–150 (2010)
Y. Izumi, K. Satterfield, S. Lee, L.B. Harkless, L.A. Lavery, Mortality of first-time amputees in diabetics: a 10 year observation. Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 83, 126–131 (2009)
K. Aydin, M. Isildak, J. Karakaya, A. Gürlek, Change in amputation predictors in diabetic foot disease: effect of multidisciplinary approach. Endocrine 38, 87–92 (2010)
J. Apelqvist, Diagnostics and treatment of the diabetic foot. Endocrine 41, 384–397 (2012)
S. Wild, G. Roglic, A. Green et al., Global prevalence of diabetes: estimates for the year 2000 and projections for 2030. Diabetes Care 27, 1047–1053 (2004)
International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF), Practical guidelines on the management and the prevention of the diabetic foot based upon the international consensus on the diabetic foot. Amsterdam, p. 16 (1999b)
G. Bax, C. Fagherazzi, F. Piarulli, A. Nicolucci, D. Fedele, Reproducibility of Michigan neuropathy screening instrument (MNSI). A comparison with tests using the vibratory and thermal perception thresholds. Diabetes Care 19, 904–905 (1996)
R. Takolander, J.A. Rauwerda, The use of non-invasive vascular assessment in diabetic patients with foot lesions. Diabet. Med. 13, S39–S42 (1996)
M. Altindas, A. Kilic, C. Cinar, U.A. Bingol, G. Ozurk, The epidemiology of foot wound in patients with diabetes: a description of 600 consecutive patients in Turkey. J. Foot Ankle Surg. 50, 146–152 (2011)
A. Benotmane, F. Mohammedi, F. Ayad, K. Kadi, A. Azzouz, Diabetic foot lesions: etiologic and prognostic factors. Diabetes Metab. 26, 113–117 (2000)
K. Mehmood, S.T. Akhtar, A. Talib, B. Abbasi, Siraj-ul-Salekeen, I.H. Naqvi, Clinical profile and management outcome of diabetic foot ulcers in a tertiary care hospital. J Coll. Physicians Pak. 18, 408–412 (2008)
S. Lauterbach, K. Kostev, R. Becker, Characteristics of diabetic patients visiting a podiatric practice in Germany. J. Wound Care 19, 140–144 (2010)
F. Al-Mahroos, K. Al-Roomi, Diabetic neuropathy, foot ulceration, peripheral vascular disease and potential risk factors among patients with diabetes in Bahrain: a nationwide primary care diabetes clinic-based study. Ann. Saudi Med. 27, 25–31 (2007)
A. Sämann, O. Tajiyeva, N. Müller, T. Tschauner, H. Hoyer, G. Wolf, U.A. Müller, Prevalence of the diabetic foot syndrome at the primary care level in Germany: a cross-sectional study. Diabet. Med. 25, 557–563 (2008)
J. Cabezas-Cerrato, The prevalence of clinical diabetic polyneuropathy in Spain: a study in primary care and hospital clinic groups. Neuropathy Spanish Study Group of the Spanish Diabetes Society (SDS). Diabetologia 41, 1263–1269 (1998)
P. Van Battum, N. Schaper, L. Propers et al., Differences in minor amputation rate in diabetic foot disease throughout Europe are in part explained by difference in disease severity at presentation. Diabet. Med. 28, 199–205 (2011)
S. Lauterbach, K. Kostev, T. Kohlmann, Prevalence of diabetic foot syndrome and its risk factors in the UK. J. Wound Care 19, 333–337 (2010)
L. Prompers, N. Schaper, J. Apelqvist et al., Prediction of outcome in individuals with diabetic foot ulcers: focus on the differences between individuals with and without peripheral arterial disease The EURODIALE Study. Diabetologia 51, 747–755 (2008)
J.J. De Sonnaville, L.P. Colly, D. Wijkel, R.J. Heine, The prevalence and determinants of foot ulceration in type II diabetic patients in a primary health care setting. Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 35, 149–156 (1997)
S. Morbach, J.K. Lutale, V. Viswanathan, J. Möllenberg, H.R. Ochs, S. Rajashekar, A. Ramachandran, Z.G. Abbas, Regional differences in risk factors and clinical presentation of diabetic foot lesions. Diabet. Med. 21, 91–95 (2004)
L. Uccioli, R. Gandini, L. Giurato, S. Fabiano, E. Pampana, V. Spallone, E. Vainieri, G. Simonetti, Long-term outcomes of diabetic patients with critical limb ischemia followed in a tertiary referral diabetic foot clinic. Diabetes Care 33, 977–982 (2010)
M.J. Young, A.J. Boulton, A.F. MacLeod, D.R. Williams, P.H. Sonksen, A multicentre study if the prevalence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in the United Kingdom hospital clinic population. Diabetologia 36, 150–154 (1993)
C.O. Ekpebegh, S.O. Iwuala, O.A. Fasanmade, A.O. Ogbera, E. Igumbor, A.E. Ohwovoriole, Diabetes foot ulceration in a Nigerian hospital: in-hospital mortality in relation to the presenting demographic, clinical and laboratorial features. Int. Wound J. 6, 381–385 (2009)
A. Nather, C.S. Bee, C.Y. Huak, J.L. Chew, C.B. Lin, S. Neo, E.Y. Sim, Epidemiology of diabetic foot problems and predictive factors for limb loss. J. Diabetes Complicat. 22, 77–82 (2008)
A. Alavi, M. Anjari, A. Haghdoost, R.G. Sibbald, Common foot examination features of 247 Iranian patients with diabetes. Int. Wound J. 6, 117–122 (2009)
S.M. Ali, A. Fareed, S.M. Humail, A. Basit, M.Y. Ahmedani, A. Fawwad, Z. Miyan, The personal cost of diabetic foot disease in the developing world—a study from Pakistan. Diabet. Med. 25, 1231–1233 (2008)
D.J. Fernando, The prevalence of neuropathic foot ulceration in Sri Lankan diabetic patients. Ceylon Med. J. 41, 96–98 (1996)
Y. Yang, T. Ostbye, S.B. Tan, Z.H. Abdul Salam, B.C. Ong, K.S. Yang, Risk factors for lower extremity amputation among patients with diabetes in Singapore. J. Diabetes Complicat. 25, 382–386 (2011)
B. Lu, Z. Yang, M. Wang, Z. Yang, W. Gong, Y. Yang, J. Wen, Z. Zhang, N. Zhao, X. Zhu, R. Hu, High prevalence of diabetic neuropathy in population-based patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the Shanghai downtown. Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 88, 289–294 (2010)
C.A. Abbott, N. Chaturvedi, R.A. Malik, E. Salgami, A.P. Yates, P.W. Pmberton, A.J. Boulton, Explanations for the lower rates of diabetic neuropathy in Indian Asians versus Europeans. Diabetes Care 33, 1325–1330 (2010)
V. Viswanathan, N. Thomas, N. Tandon, A. Asirvatham, S. Rajasekar, A. Ramachandram, K. Senthilvasan, V.S. Murugan, Muthulakshmi, Profile of diabetic foot complication and its associated complications—a multicentre study from India. J. Assoc. Physicians India 53, 933–936 (2005)
K.F. Rezende, M.A. Nunes, N.H. Melo, D. Malerbi, A.R. Chacra, M.B. Ferraz, In hospital care for diabetic foot: a comparison between the estimated cost and the SUS reimbursement. Arq. Bras. Endocrinol. Metabol. 52, 523–530 (2008)
C. Gazzaruso, A. Coppola, T. Montalcini, E. Baffero, A. Garzaniti, G. Pelissero, S. Collaviti, A. Grugnetti, P. Gallotti, A. Pujia, S.B. Solerte, A. Giustina, Lipoprotein(a) and homocysteine as genetic risk factors for vascular and neuropathic diabetic foot in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Endocrine 41, 89–95 (2012)
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Moura Neto, A., Zantut-Wittmann, D.E., Fernandes, T.D. et al. Risk factors for ulceration and amputation in diabetic foot: study in a cohort of 496 patients. Endocrine 44, 119–124 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-012-9829-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-012-9829-2