Publication:

Clinical presentation and outcome in diabetic foot cases: a prospective study in a tertiary care teaching hospital of Uttarakhand, India

Background Aim of study was to investigate the clinical presentation, management of soft tissue infection and their outcome in diabetic foot patients in a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Methods A total of 106 patients with diabetic foot presented to General Surgery department of SGRRIMHS, Dehradun, were included in the present study. Grading of ulcers was done by using Wagener grading. Peripheral neuropathy was confirmed or ruled out using tuning fork (128 hz). The diagnosis of vascular insufficiency was made by palpating pedal pulses of the involved foot and/or by colour Doppler.

Results Out of 106 patients, 87(82.7%) were male and 19 (17.92%) were female. Mean age of the patients was 56.04±10.31 years, 40 (37.73%) were smoker, 62 (58.49%) were anaemic, 80 (75.47%) patients had poorly controlled diabetes and mean duration of diabetes was 8.2 years. The majority of ulcers belonged to grade 3 and grade 4, i.e. 50 (47.17%) and 30 (28.30%) respectively. 80 (75.47%) patients had peripheral neuropathy and 67 (63.20%) had arteriopathy. 17 (16.03%) patients required only dressings, while 89(83.97%) needed surgical interventions.

Conclusions In the present study, most of the patients presented with diabetic foot were treated by surgical intervention.