Clinical features and outcomes of diabetic foot in Argentina: a longitudinal multicenter study.

INTRODUCTION

The diabetic foot (DF) is a complication with high rate of morbi-mortality. There are no data about amputation rates and mortality in Argentina related to this disease. The aim of this study was to describe clinical features of adult patients with diabetes that consulted for a foot ulcer in a 3 months' period and to evaluate outcomes six months later.

METHODS

This is a multicenter longitudinal study with six months follow up.

RESULTS

Three hundred and twelve patients from 15 health centers in Argentina were analyzed. During the follow up, the rate of major amputation was 8.33% (IC95; 5.5-11.9) (n = 26) and minor amputation 29.17% (IC95%; 24.2-34.6) (n = 91). After six months, the mortality rate was 4.49% (IC95%; 2.5-7.4) (n = 14), and 24.3% (IC95%; 19.6-29.5) remained with open wounds (n = 76) while 58.0% (IC95%; 52.3-66.5) (n = 181) healed and 7.37% became lost to follow up (n = 23). From those who required a major amputation during the study (n = 24), 5 patients died (20.8%) and in patients without amputation, 3% died (p = 0.001). Major amputation was related to age, ankle brachial index (ABI), Saint Elian score (SEWSS), SINBAD, WIfI classification, ischemia and some aspects of the wound.

DISCUSSION: Knowledge about local data will enable better decisions on health policies related to prevention and treatment of diabetic foot patients.