Incidence, risk factors for amputation among patients with diabetic foot ulcer in a Chinese tertiary hospital.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of amputation among patients with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) and risk factors for amputations.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of 450 inpatients treated in a multi-discipline based diabetic centre, 306th Hospital of PLA during the period of January 2000-September 2009. Hospital admission and discharge information including patient profile, grade of DFU, co-morbidities and complications, laboratory data and final outcome were collected. The risk factors for amputation were determined using univariate and stepwise logistic regression analysis.

Results: The overall amputation rate among DFU was 21.5%. Significant univariate risk factors for amputation were peripheral vascular disease (PVD), white blood cell (WBC) counts, neutrophil granulocyte percentage, hemoglobin, triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and serum sCRP. Upon stepwise logistic regression analysis, only PVD (odds ratio 4.529, 95% CI 1.500-13.676), WBC (odds ratio 1.146, 95% CI 1.075-1.222), sCRP (odds ratio 1.041, 95% CI 1.002-1.082) and triglyceride (odds ratio -0.488, 95% CI 0.433-0.869) were significant risk factors.

Conclusions: The risk factors for amputation were presence of PVD, increased WBC, sCRP and decreased triglyceride.