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Open Access 01-12-2013 | Original investigation

Structured health care for subjects with diabetic foot ulcers results in a reduction of major amputation rates

Authors: Matthias Weck, Torsten Slesaczeck, Hartmut Paetzold, Dirk Muench, Thomas Nanning, Georg von Gagern, Andrej Brechow, Ulf Dietrich, Mandy Holfert, Stefan Bornstein, Andreas Barthel, Antje Thomas, Carsta Koehler, Markolf Hanefeld

Published in: Cardiovascular Diabetology | Issue 1/2013

Abstract

Objective

We tested the effects of structured health care for the diabetic foot in one region in Germany aiming to reduce the number of major amputations.

Research design and methods

In a prospective study we investigated patients with diabetic foot in a structured system of outpatient, in-patient and rehabilitative treatment. Subjects were recruited between January 1^st, 2000 and December 31, 2007. All participants underwent a two-year follow-up. The modified University of Texas Wound Classification System (UT) was the basis for documentation and data analysis. We evaluated numbers of major amputations, rates of ulcer healing and mortality. In order to compare the effect of the structured health care program with usual care in patients with diabetic foot we evaluated the same parameters at another regional hospital without interdisciplinary care of diabetic foot (controls).

Results

684 patients with diabetic foot and 508 controls were investigated. At discharge from hospital 28.3% (structured health care program, SHC) vs. 23.0% (controls) of all ulcers had healed completely. 51.5% (SHC) vs. 49.8% (controls) were in UT grade 1.

Major amputations were performed in 32 subjects of the structured health care program group (4.7%) vs. 110 (21.7%) in controls (p<0.0001). Mortality during hospitalization was 2.5% (SHC) vs. 9.4% in controls (p<0.001).

Conclusions

With the structured health care program we achieved a significant reduction of major amputation rates by more than 75% as compared to standard care.

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Title: Structured health care for subjects with diabetic foot ulcers results in a reduction of major amputation rates
Authors: Matthias Weck
Torsten Slesaczeck
Hartmut Paetzold
Dirk Muench
Thomas Nanning
Georg von Gagern
Andrej Brechow
Ulf Dietrich
Mandy Holfert
Stefan Bornstein
Andreas Barthel
Antje Thomas
Carsta Koehler
Markolf Hanefeld
Publication date: 01-12-2013
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Cardiovascular Diabetology / Issue 1/2013
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2840
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2840-12-45

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