Quality of life with diabetes-associated foot complications: comparison between lower-limb amputation and chronic foot ulceration.

Background: Diabetic foot complications result in huge costs for both society and individual patients. Because our team performs numerous amputations each year for complicated diabetic foot ulcers, we conducted a study comparing the quality of life of diabetic amputees with a non-amputee group experiencing a diabetic foot ulcer. The aim of this study was to get better comprehension of the influence of amputation on physical and social aspects of our patients' quality of life.

[Skin and osteoarticular bacterial infections of the diabetic foot. Treatment].

Multidisciplinary Care: A multidisciplinary approach is essential. General measures include immobilization of the focus, controlling blood glucose, anticoagulation, and anti-tetanus vaccination. Topical application of growth factors is currently under evaluation.

[Skin and osteoarticular infections of the diabetic foot. Role of infection].

Unlabelled: A MAJOR PROBLEM: Two-thirds of all amputations involve infection. Infection is favored by dysfunction of the antibacterial defense systems due to high blood glucose and vascular disorders.

Diagnosis: General signs of infection are usually not found.

[Skin and osteoarticular bacterial infections of the diabetic foot. Ulcers of the diabetic foot: epidemiology and physiopathology].

Epidemiology: There are more than 2 million diabetics in France. Fifteen percent have suffered at one time or another from a foot ulcer. This condition accounts for 20% of all admissions of diabetic patients and for 50% of corresponding hospitalization stays.