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Presentation and outcome of diabetic foot ulcers in Saudi Arabian patients
Jaffar A Al-Tawfiq1, Jane A Johndrow
1Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases Department, Dhahran Health Center, Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate associated risk factors, clinical presentation, and outcome of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) in a Saudi Arabian hospital.
Research Design And Methods:
This is a prospective study of diabetic patients with foot ulcers at Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization. The participants were referred to a wound care specialist. The study was conducted from December 2003 to December 2004 and included a total of 62 patients (30 men and 32 women). The mean age (SD) was 64.8 years (+ 12 years), with a range from 39 to 82 years.
Results:
During the study period, 19% (12 of 62) of patients had amputations represented by 2 above-knee amputations, 3 below-knee amputations, and 7 limb-sparing surgeries. All patients with DFUs who underwent surgical amputation had a Wagner Classification of grade 4 (n = 9; 75%) or grade 5 (n = 3; 25%). Three patients (25%) had prior surgical limb-sparing amputations, and 11 (91%) patients were on insulin therapy. The associated risk factors with amputation were hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, absence of pedal pulses, and ischemic heart disease (P < .05).
Conclusions:
DFUs continue to be an important cause of morbidity and resulted in an amputation rate of 19%.
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