The diabetic foot risks profile in Selebi Phikwe Government Hospital, Botswana

The present study aimed: (1) to evaluate the proportion of each diabetic foot (DF) risk category, according to the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) consensus, in patients attending the diabetic clinic in Selebi Phikwe Government Hospital (SPGH) and (2) to examine some of the factors that may be associated with the progression to higher risk categories such as anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and lipid profile.

A retrospective, cross sectional chart review of patients who had attended the diabetic clinic in SPGH from January 2013 to December 2013 was performed. Patients were included if they had undergone a foot examination. Patients with amputation due to accident were excluded. The DF risk category was assessed by determining the proportion of patients in each of four risk categories, as described by the IWGDF consensus.

The study encompassed 144 records from patients reviewed for foot examination from January to December 2013. Patients' ages were between 16 and 85 years, 46 (40%) were male and 98 (60%) were female. The majority (122, [85%]) of patients were in DF risk category 0, whilst a limited number of patients were classified in risk category 1 (10, [6.9%]), risk category 2 (7, [4.9%]) and risk category 3 (5, [3.5%]). Most of the patients had the type 2 diabetes mellitus (139, [97%; 95% CI 92% - 99%]). Patients' ages were associated with the progressively higher DF risk categories. The adjusted odd ratio was 1.1 (95% CI 1.03-1.14; p = 0.004).

The present study revealed that about 15% of patients attending the SPGH diabetic clinic were categorised in higher risk groups for diabetic foot; patients' ages were linked to the higher DF risk categories.