Diabetic foot

Abstract EN

Background : Diabetic foot adds significant morbidity and mortality to patients.

Diabetic patients with foot complication require significant foot care and have a risk of limb amputation.

The risk factors are controllable and can be prevented with careful blood glycemic control.

Objective : To determine the risk factors and personal characteristics of diabetic foot patients and their impact on the socioeconomic status in Bahrain.

Design : A Prospective descriptive study.

Setting : Vascular and Thoracic unit, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain.

Result : Eighty-seven patients with diabetic foot were admitted in the Vascular and Thoracic surgery service from March to June 2010.

Seventeen (20 %) were non–Bahraini.

The majority of diabetic foot patients were male, 60 (69 %).

Sixty-eight (78 %) were diagnosed as first presentation of diabetic foot.

Fifty-eight (66.5 %) were 40-60 years old.

Sixty (69 %) were diagnosed with neuropathic foot.

Thirty-five (40 %) patients were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus for 10 years or less.

Sixty-one (70 %) patients had HbA1c more than 7.

Twenty-two (25 %) patients had amputation as a primary treatment.

Seventeen (19.5 %) patients required minor amputation and 5 (5.5 %) patients had major amputation.

Conclusion : The majority of patients with diabetic foot in Bahrain are males in the productive age group.

A significant number of these patients undergo amputation as a primary treatment; these patients are increasing the socioeconomic burden to the health services in Bahrain as well as to the community.