Contribution of infection and peripheral artery disease to severity of diabetic foot ulcers in Chinese patients

AIM: The objective of the current ongoing study was to evaluate the characteristics of diabetic patients with newly diagnosed foot ulcer in Burn & Plastic Hospital of PLA General Hospital. METHODS: A total of 1002 consecutive patients presenting with a new foot ulcer between March 2007 and September 2013 were enrolled. All enrolled patients were classified based on presence or absence of collateral infection, disabling comorbidities and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). RESULTS: Of patients, 70.05% had PAD, which occurred significantly more in elderly adults. Patients with PAD had higher incidence of infection (58.9% vs. 41.5% in non-PAD group) and disabling comorbidities (79% in PAD and 61% in non-PAD; p < 0.038). There was no significant difference observed in depth, size and duration of foot ulcers between the PAD and non-PAD group of enrolled diabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic foot ulcer is more prominent in patients with PAD that is further reflected by significantly more underlying cases of infection and disabling comorbidity.