Assessment of risk factors in diabetic foot ulceration and their impact on the outcome of the disease

Aims: The current study aims to identify risk factors for diabetic foot ulcer and their impact on the outcome of the disease. Methods: Three hundred diabetic patients were enrolled in the study. One hundred eighty subjects with diabetic foot ulcer and 120 diabetic controls without foot lesions. All expected risk factors were studied in all patients and after a follow up period, patients with diabetic foot ulcer were classified into group A (patients with healed ulcers) and group B (patients with persistent ulcer or ended by amputation). The risk factors were reanalyzed in both groups to find out their impact on the outcome of the disease. Results: The following variables were significant factors for foot ulceration: Male gender (P = 0.009), previous foot ulcer (P = 0.003), peripheral vascular disease (P = 0.004), and peripheral neuropathy (P = 0.006). Also lack of frequent foot self-examination was independently related to foot ulcer risk. The outcome was related to longer diabetes duration (P = 0.004), poor glycaemic control (P = 0.006) and anaemia (P = 0.003) and presence of infection (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Peripheral vascular disease and peripheral neuropathy together with lack of foot self-examination, poor glycaemic control and anaemia are main significant risk factors for diabetic foot ulceration. © 2009 Primary Care Diabetes Europe.