BackgroundDiabetic foot ulcers (DFU) may cause significant morbidity and lower extremity amputation (LEA) due to diabetic foot problems can occur more often compared to the general population. The purpose of the present study was to use an epidemiological design to determine and to quantify the risk factors of subsequent amputation in hospitalized DFU patients.MethodsWe performed a hospital-based, case–control study of 47 DFU patients with LEA and 47 control DFU patients without LEA. The control subjects were matched to cases in respect to age (±5 years), sex, and nutritional status, with ratio of 1:1. This study was conducted in Dr. Kariadi General Hospital Semarang between January 2012 and December 2014. Patients’ demographical data and all risk factors-related information were collected from clinical records using a short structural chart. Using LEA as the outcome variable, we calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by logistic regression. Univariate and stepwise logistic regression analyses were used to assess the independent effect of selected risk factors associated with LEA. The data were analyzed in SPSS version 21.ResultsThere were 47 case–control pairs, all of which were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Seven potential independent variables show a promise of influence, the latter being defined as p≤0.15 upon univariate analysis. Multivariable logistic regression identified levels of HbA1c ≥8% (OR 20.47, 95% CI 3.12–134.31; p=0.002), presence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (OR 12.97, 95% CI 3.44–48.88; p<0.001), hypertriglyceridemia (OR 5.58, 95% CI 1.74–17.91; p=0.004), and hypertension (OR 3.67, 95% CI 1.14–11.79; p=0.028) as the independent risk factors associated with subsequent LEA in DFU.ConclusionsSeveral risk factors for LEA were identified. We found that HbA1c ≥8%, PAD, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension have been recognized as the predictors of LEA in this study. Good glycemic control, active investigation against PAD, and management of comorbidities such as hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension are considered important to reduce amputation risk.

Background: This study attempted to determine the disease burden in terms of clinical profile and outcome of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) admissions at a tertiary care hospital in a developing country. Methods: In this descriptive study, the data were collected from the medical record of diabetic patients with foot ulcer who were treated in Dr. Kariadi General Hospital during a 3-year period. The demographic characteristic, type of foot lesion, etiology, isolated microorganism, treatment, and outcome were reviewed. Results: Foot problems accounted for 16.2% of total diabetic admission (n = 1429). All patients had type 2 diabetes with no gender predominance. The mean age was 54.3 ± 8.6 years and diabetes control was very poor. Before admission, the ulcers had already developed for 4.7 ± 2.9 weeks; however, the majority of patients were unaware of the preceding causes. Ulcers were neuropathic in 42.2% of cases, neuroischemic in 29.9%, and pure ischemic at lesser percentage. More than 70% of ulcers were in Wagner grade ≥3 with infection event in nearly all patients. The most common isolates from culture were Gram-negative bacteria. A total of 98 (36.3%) lower extremity amputations (LEAs) at various level of the foot were carried out, including major LEA in 24 patients and multiple amputations in seven patients. Mortality rate due to DFU reached 10.7%. Conclusions: Diabetic foot problems constitute a source of morbidity, a reason for LEA surgery as well as being a cause of death among patients with diabetes mellitus.

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