Diabetic foot ulcers:Classification,risk factors and management

Diabetic foot ulceration is a devastating complication of diabetes that is associated with infection,amputation,and death,and is affecting increasing numbers of patients with diabetes mellitus.The pathogenesis of foot ulcers is complex,and different factors play major roles in different stages.The refractory nature of foot ulcer is reflected in that even after healing there is still a high recurrence rate and amputation rate,which means that management and nursing plans need to be considered carefully.The importance of establishment of measures for prevention and management of DFU has been emphasized.Therefore,a validated and appropriate DFU classification matching the progression is necessary for clinical diagnosis and management.In the first part of this review,we list several commonly used classification systems and describe their application conditions,scope,strengths,and limitations;in the second part,we briefly introduce the common risk factors for DFU,such as neuropathy,peripheral artery disease,foot deformities,diabetes complications,and obesity.Focusing on the relationship between the risk factors and DFU progression may facilitate prevention and timely management;in the last part,we emphasize the importance of preventive education,characterize several of the most frequently used management approaches,including glycemic control,exercise,offloading,and infection control,and call for taking into account and weighing the quality of life during the formulation of treatment plans.Multidisciplinary intervention and management of diabetic foot ulcers(DFUs)based on the effective and systematic combination of these three components will contribute to the prevention and treatment of DFUs,and improve their prognosis.

Diabetes and peripheral artery disease:A review

Peripheral arterial disease(PAD)refers to partial or complete occlusion of the peripheral vessels of the upper and lower limbs.It usually occurs as part of systemic atherosclerosis in the coronary and cerebral arteries.The prevalence of PAD is expected to continue to increase in the foreseeable future owing to the rise in the occurrence of its major risk factors.Nonhealing ulcers,limb amputation and physical disability are some of its major complications.Diabetes mellitus(DM)remains a major risk for PAD,with DM patients having more than two-fold increased prevalence of PAD compared with the general population.The clinical presentation in people with DM also differs slightly from that in the general population.In addition,PAD in DM may lead to diabetic foot ulcers(DFUs),which precipitate hyperglycaemic emergencies and result in increased hospital admissions,reduced quality of life,and mortality.Despite the epidemiological and clinical importance of PAD,it remains largely under diagnosed and hence undertreated,possibly because it is largely asymptomatic.Emphasis has been placed on neuropathy as a cause of DFUs,however PAD is equally important.This review examines the epidemiology,pathophysiology and diagnosis of lower limb PAD in people with diabetes and relates these to the general population.It also highlights recent innovations in the management of PAD.