OBJECTIVERecurrence of plantar foot ulcers is a common and major problem in diabetes but not well understood. Foot biomechanics and patient behavior may be important. The aim was to identify risk factors for ulcer recurrence and to establish targets for ulcer prevention. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSAs part of a footwear trial, 171 neuropathic diabetic patients with a recently healed plantar foot ulcer and custom-made footwear were followed for 18 months or until ulceration. Demographic data, disease-related parameters, presence of minor lesions, barefoot and in-shoe plantar peak pressures, footwear adherence, and daily stride count were entered in a multivariate multilevel logistic regression model of plantar foot ulcer recurrence. RESULTSA total of 71 patients had a recurrent ulcer. Significant independent predictors were presence of minor lesions (odds ratio 9.06 [95% CI 2.98-27.57]), day-to-day variation in stride count (0.93 [0.89-0.99 CONCLUSIONSThe presence of a minor lesion was clearly the strongest predictor, while recommended use of adequately offloading footwear was a strong protector against ulcer recurrence from unrecognized repetitive trauma. These outcomes define clear targets for diabetic foot screening and ulcer prevention.In patients with diabetes, foot ulcers are a serious risk for infection and amputation (1). The prevention of foot ulcers is important to avoid these devastating outcomes. Several studies have identified risk factors for diabetic foot ulceration, which include, among others, peripheral neuropathy, peripheral arterial disease, and foot deformity (2-7). The strongest predictors of ulceration are presence of peripheral neuropathy and a history of ulceration, which shows that ulcers often recurdup to 40% annually (8). Ulcer recurrence significantly increases long-term costs for diabetic foot care (9) and further increases risk for amputation and deterioration of

A formal consensus process integrating evidence and expert opinion based on the ICF framework and classification led to the definition of ICF Core Sets for obstructive pulmonary diseases. Both the Comprehensive ICF Core Set and the Brief ICF Core Set were defined.

The overall effect of a multidisciplinary treatment is disappointing, however multiaxial assessment before admission might be valuable in clinical practice, resulting in more effective treatments for patients with chronic low back pain.

This study involved an evaluation of a telemedicine service implemented as a partial replacement of a physical outpatient rehabilitation program. The telemedicine service was an exercise-based tele-rehabilitation service facilitating remote physical rehabilitation for patients suffering from chronic lower back pain or pulmonary disease. Effectiveness was evaluated with multiple outcomes on quality (complaints, disability and physical condition) and access (usability, satisfaction and motivational character of the service). Patients referred by their rehabilitation physician to a physical outpatient rehabilitation program between October 2009 and May 2010 were asked to participate in the control group. Patients referred to the program between June 2010 and December 2011 were asked to participate in the intervention group. The control group received the conventional rehabilitation program. The intervention group received the rehabilitation program in which telemedicine was used as partial replacement of face to face care. Instead of 3 visits per week to the clinic as was being carried out in conventional care, patients visited the outpatient rehabilitation clinic for 2 days and they were instructed to exercise at least 1 day in their own environment using the exercise-based tele-rehabilitation service. One hundred and eighteen patients were included in this study: 38 patients in the control group and 80 patients in the intervention group. Both groups equally benefit from the outpatient rehabilitation program. There were no significant differences between the groups. The usability (system usability scale sore of 71.2 (SD 15.0; n=47), satisfaction (average rate 6.0 (SD 2.0; n=55), and level of motivation of the exercisebased tele-rehabilitation service were sufficient, but slightly disappointing. The telemedicine supported the outpatient rehabilitation program as partial replacement of face to face care was as effective as the conventional outpatient rehabilitation program.

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