Publications by authors named "Javier La Fontaine"

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) pose a significant threat to individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM), such as lower limb amputation and severe morbidity. Bioengineered skin substitutes (BSS) are alternatives to traditional interventions for treating DFUs, but their efficacy compared to standard wound care (SWC) or other treatment types, such as allografts, remains unknown. A scoping review of human studies was conducted to identify current approaches in the treatment of DFUs using BSS as compared with other treatment options.

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"Limb salvage" efforts, such as performing minor amputations before infections spread proximally from the foot to decrease major lower extremity amputation, are an important part of healthcare today. It is unclear whether these efforts are preventing the number of major amputations and improving patients' quality of life and the cost-effectiveness of the U.S.

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Chronic inflammation and hyperglycemia in diabetic patients increase the risk of implant failure and impaired fracture healing. We previously developed and characterized a titanium (Ti) coating strategy using an imidazolium-based ionic liquid (IonL) with a fully reduced, non-oxidizable High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) isoform (Ti-IonL-HMGB1) to immunomodulate tissue healing. In this study, we used an open reduction fracture fixation (ORIF) model in non-diabetic (ND) and diabetic (D) rats to further investigate the effectiveness of this Ti-IonL-HMGB1 coating on orthopedic applications.

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There is a higher risk of implant osseointegration failure after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in patients with diabetes due to increased inflammatory conditions, associated metallic corrosion and infection. While it is possible to avoid elective osseous surgery in patients with diabetes, it may not be the case in nonelective cases, such as ORIF ankle fractures. A total of 30 male Lewis rats (12-15 weeks old) were distributed into diabetic (D) and nondiabetic (ND) groups.

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Diabetic foot infection is the leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputations worldwide. In addition, diabetes mellitus and sequela of the disease are increasing in prevalence. In 2017, 9.

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Diabetic foot infections (DFI) are an increasingly common cause of hospitalizations. Once hospitalized with DFI, many patients require some level of amputation, often undergoing multiple operations. With increasing importance on patient-centered metrics, self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) tools have been developed.

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Background: We sought to evaluate clinicians' compliance with national guidelines for tetanus vaccination prophylaxis in patients with high-risk feet.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 114 consecutive patients between June 1, 2011, and March 31, 2019, who presented to the emergency department with a foot infection resulting from a puncture injury. Eighty-three patients had diabetes mellitus and 31 patients did not have diabetes mellitus.

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Orthopedic devices are often associated with increased risk for diabetic patients due to impaired wound healing capabilities. Adverse biological responses for immunocompromised patients at the implant-tissue interface can lead to significant bone resorption that may increase failure rates. The goal of this study was to characterize the surface of implants removed from diabetic patients to determine underlying mechanisms of diabetes-induced impaired osseointegration.

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The purpose of this study was to assess the intra- and inter-reader reliability of the 2 Charcot neuroarthropathy classifications (Sanders-Frykberg and Brodsky-Trepman), as well as Eichenholtz staging. We hypothesized that the inter-reader reliability, with respect to these 3 classification systems, would be moderate at best. Digital radiographic images were organized in a digital slide presentation without clinical information.

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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the recommended diagnostic imaging technique for diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO). The gold standard to diagnose osteomyelitis is bone biopsy with a positive culture and/or histopathology finding consistent with osteomyelitis. The purpose of this study is to assess the accuracy of MRI readings in biopsy-proven diabetic foot osteomyelitis with a second read done by a blinded, expert musculoskeletal radiologist.

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Objective: To investigate the predictive value of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in persons with and without diabetes with osteomyelitis (OM).

Methods: We evaluated 455 patients in a retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to the hospital with diabetic foot OM (n = 177), diabetic foot soft-tissue infections (STIs) (n = 176), nondiabetic OM (n = 51), and nondiabetic STIs (n = 51). Infection diagnosis was determined through bone culture, histopathologic examination for OM, and/or imaging (magnetic resonance imaging/single-photon emission computed tomography) for STI.

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Background: We aimed to evaluate surrogate markers commonly used in the literature for diabetic foot osteomyelitis remission after initial treatment for diabetic foot infections (DFIs).

Methods: Thirty-five patients with DFIs were prospectively enrolled and followed for 12 months. Osteomyelitis was determined from bone culture and histologic analysis initially and for recurrence.

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Background: To compare pathogens involved in skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) and pedal osteomyelitis (OM) in patients with and without diabetes with puncture wounds to the foot.

Methods: We evaluated 113 consecutive patients between June 1, 2011, and March 31, 2019, with foot infection (SSTIs and OM) from a puncture injury sustained to the foot. Eighty-three patients had diabetes and 30 did not.

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Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and recovery of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients admitted to the hospital with and without diabetes mellitus (DM) with foot infections.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 294 patients with DM and 88 without DM admitted to the hospital with foot infections. The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines were used to define AKI.

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The aim of this study is to evaluate serum biomarkers to monitor high-risk patients for reinfection of bone. Thirty-five patients were prospectively enrolled with moderate to severe diabetic foot infections with suspicion of osteomyelitis. Bone samples were obtained for culture and histology.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of complications after an ankle fracture in patients with and without diabetes and to evaluate risk factors for nonunion. We conducted a retrospective study of 439 patients with ankle fractures (31.7% had diabetes) and followed them for 1 year or until the fracture healed.

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Aims: The optimal level of lower-extremity amputation, particularly in diabetic patients with ulceration, is debated. Proximal amputations more greatly decrease function versus distal amputations, but healing and complication rates may differ between the 2 types. This study compares early postoperative outcomes after transmetatarsal and other partial foot amputations and major leg amputations.

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Aim: To compare the efficacy of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) with and without irrigation with 0.1% polyhexanide-betaine.

Methods: We randomized 150 subjects in a 16-week RCT to compare healing in patients with diabetic foot infections.

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The aim of this study was to report clinical outcomes of moderate and severe foot infections in patients without diabetes. Medical records of 88 nondiabetic patients with foot infections treated at a safety net hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were grouped by the presence of soft-tissue infection (STI) or osteomyelitis (OM).

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The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of the erbium:yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser on diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) that had not responded to standard care. We retrospectively evaluated 22 nonhealing DFUs that received at least 4 weeks of standard wound care, demonstrated poor healing response, and subsequently were treated with an erbium:YAG laser. We measured the percent wound area reduction (PWAR) for the 4 weeks before initiating laser therapy and the PWAR for 4 weeks after the initiation of laser therapy.

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It is difficult to compare foot infections in patients with diabetes to those without diabetes because foot infections are uncommon in people without diabetes. The aim of this study is to compare clinical outcomes in people with and without diabetes admitted to the hospital for an infected puncture wound. We evaluated 114 consecutive patients from June 2011 to March 2019 with foot infection resulting from a puncture injury; 83 had diabetes and 31 did not have diabetes.

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The aim of this study was to assess whether systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is correlated with outcomes in diabetic foot infections (DFIs). We retrospectively reviewed 137 diabetic patients admitted to the hospital with Infectious Diseases Society of America moderate and severe DFIs. We used SIRS criteria to define severe infection based on the presence of at least 2 of the following: heart rate >90 bpm, temperature >38°C or <36°C, respiratory rate >20 breaths per minute, and white blood cell count >12,000/mm or <4,000/mm.

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