Nationwide diabetes-related lower extremity amputation rates in secondary care treated patients with diabetes in the Netherlands (DUDE-7).

AIMS: To estimate the annual amputation rate in all secondary care treated patients with diabetes in the Netherlands and specifically in patients known with diabetic retinopathy.

METHODS

A nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study was performed including the years 2007-2011. Data of patients were retrieved from reimbursement registries for hospital care from a nationwide insurance database including codes for diabetes, retinopathy and amputation. Traumatic amputations were excluded.

RESULTS

The number of patients with secondary care treated diabetes increased from 132.499 to 137.049 over the years 2007-2011 in the Netherlands. The annual rate of non-traumatic lower-extremity amputations ranged from 4.32 to 5.28 amputations per 1.000 patients. For patients diagnosed with non-proliferative and (pre-) proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the mean amputation rates were 7.9 per 1.000 and 14.7 per 1.000, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The Dutch annual incidence rates of non-traumatic lower extremity amputations in secondary care treated patients with diabetes is relatively low and remained stable over the years 2007 to 2011. The amputation rate in patients with retinopathy was substantially higher compared to patients without retinopathy.