The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the changes in diabetes-related lower extremity amputations following the implementation of a multidisciplinary programme for prevention and treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in a 0.2 million population with a 2.4% prevalence of diabetes. All diabetes-related primary amputations from toe to hip from 1 January 1982 to 31 December 1993 were included. In 294 diabetic patients, 387 primary major (above the ankle) or minor (through or below the ankle) amputations were performed, constituting 48% of all lower extremity amputations. The annual number of amputations at all levels decreased from 38 to 21, equalling a decrease of incidence from 19.1 to 9.4/100,000 inhabitants (p = 0.001). The incidence of major amputations decreased by 78% from 16/1 to 3.6/100,000 inhabitants (p < 0.001). The absolute number of amputations with a final level below the ankle showed no increase, but their proportion increased from 28 to 53% (p < 0.001) and the reamputation rate decreased from 36 to 22% (p < 0.05) between the first and last 3-year period. Thus, a substantial long-term decrease in the incidence of major amputations was seen as well as a decrease in the total incidence of amputations in diabetic patients. Seventy-one per cent of the amputations were precipitated by a foot ulcer. These findings indicate that a multidisciplinary approach plays an important role to reduce and maintain a low incidence of major amputations in diabetic patients.
We propose that the mean value for in-shoe pressures reported in these patients be used as a target in footwear prescription for patients with prior ulcers. Although plantar pressure is only one factor in a multifaceted strategy to prevent ulcer recurrence, the quantitative focus on pressure reduction in footwear is likely to have beneficial effects.
Clinical characteristics and outcome in 223 consecutive diabetic patients with deep foot infections are reported. Patients were treated by a multidisciplinary diabetic foot-care team at the University Hospital, Lund, Sweden, and were prospectively followed until healing or death. About 50% of patients lacked clinical signs of infection, such as a body temperature > 37.8 degrees C, a sedimentation rate > 70 mm/hour, and white blood cell count (WBC) > 10 x 10(9)/liter. Eighty-six percent had surgery before healing or death. Thirty-nine percent healed without amputation; 34% healed after a minor and 8% after a major amputation. Sixteen percent were unhealed at death, and 3% were unhealed at the end of the observation period. Of those unhealed at death or follow-up, 4 patients had had a major and 11 a minor amputation. After correction for age and sex, duration of diabetes < 14 years, palpable popliteal pulse, a toe pressure > 45 mmHg, and an ankle pressure > 80 mm Hg, absence of exposed bone and a white blood cell count < 12 x 10(9)/liter were all related to healing without amputation in a logistic regression analysis. We conclude that although only 1 in 10 had a major amputation, nearly all diabetic patients with a deep foot infection needed surgery and more than one third had a minor amputation before healing or death in spite of a well-functioning diabetic foot-care team responsible for all included patients.
The prognostic value of distal blood pressure measurements has been studied in 314 consecutive diabetic patients with foot ulcers. Systolic toe blood pressure was measured with a strain-gauge technique, and ankle pressure was measured with strain-gauge or Doppler techniques. Wound healing was defined as intact skin for at least 6 mo. One hundred ninety-seven patients healed primarily, 77 had amputations, and 40 died before healing had occurred. In 294 of 300 patients, it was possible to measure either ankle or toe pressure. Fourteen patients were not available for pressure measurements. Of these, 10 patients healed primarily, and 4 died before healing occurred. Both ankle and toe pressures were higher (P less than .001) among patients who healed without amputation compared with those who underwent amputation or died before healing. No differences were seen in ankle or toe pressure levels among those who had amputations or died. No patient healed primarily with an ankle pressure less than 40 mmHg. An upper limit above which amputation was not required could not be defined. Primary healing was achieved in 139 of 164 patients (85%) with a toe pressure level greater than 45 mmHg, whereas 43 of 117 patients (36%; P less than .001) healed without amputation when toe pressure was less than or equal to 45 mmHg. In conclusion, a combination of ankle and toe pressure measurements is a useful tool to predict primary healing in diabetic foot ulcers.
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