Diabetic Foot Complications: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Bogdan Stancu (), Tamás Ilyés, Marius Farcas, Horațiu Flaviu Coman, Bogdan Augustin Chiș and Octavian Aurel Andercou
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Bogdan Stancu: 2nd Department of General Surgery, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Tamás Ilyés: Department of Molecular Sciences, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Marius Farcas: Hematology Department, Institute of Oncology “Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuță”, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Horațiu Flaviu Coman: Department of Vascular Surgery, County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 400347 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Bogdan Augustin Chiș: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Octavian Aurel Andercou: 2nd Department of General Surgery, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Diabetes mellitus is a highly prevalent disease globally and contributes to significant morbidity and mortality. As a consequence of multiple pathophysiologic changes which are associated with diabetes, these patients frequently suffer from foot-related disorders: infections, ulcerations, and gangrene. Approximately half of all amputations occur in diabetic individuals, usually as a complication of diabetic foot ulcers. In this retrospective study, we analyzed and characterized a cohort of 69 patients and their diabetes-related foot complications. The main characteristics of our cohort were as follows: older age at diagnosis (mean age 66); higher incidence of diabetes in males; predominantly urban patient population. The most frequent complications of the lower extremity were ulcerations and gangrene. Moreover, in our study, 35% of patients required surgical reintervention, and 27% suffered from complications, while 13% required ICU admission. However, diabetic foot lesions are preventable via simple interventions which pointedly reduce foot amputations. Early identification and the appropriate medical and surgical treatment of the complications associated with diabetic foot disease are important because they still remain common, complex and costly.

Keywords: diabetic foot; diabetic foot ulcers; disease in lower extremity; gangrene; prevention; surgical treatment; wound healing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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