Referral of patients with diabetic foot ulcers in four European countries: patient follow-up after first GP visit.

Objective: This study aimed to analyse the characteristics of patients, including demographics, medical history and treatment, with a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) during their first follow-up visit to a general practitioner (GP).

Methods: A two-part quantitative online questionnaire was distributed among GPs in France, UK, Germany and Spain. Part one entailed a survey of GPs' perceptions of referrals for DFU.

The effect of text message support on diabetes self-management in developing countries - A randomised trial.

Objective: mHealth interventions have the potential to facilitate self-management. This TEXT4DSM study implemented a mobile phone intervention in existing diabetes programmes in three low- and middle-income countries (Democratic Republic of Congo, Cambodia, and the Philippines).

Research Design And Methods: Sub-studies with a similar randomised controlled trial design were conducted in three different countries.

Incidence of lower extremity amputations in the diabetic compared with the non-diabetic population: A systematic review.

PROSPERO CRD4201501780.

Diabetic complications do not hamper improvement of health-related quality of life over the course of treatment of diabetic foot ulcers - the Eurodiale study.

Aims: Diabetic complications, and in particular diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), are associated with low health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We evaluated whether the presence of diabetic complications also influenced the improvement of HRQoL during DFU treatment.

Methods: 1088 patients presenting for DFU treatment at the centers participating in the Eurodiale study were followed prospectively up to one year.

Minor amputation does not negatively affect health-related quality of life as compared with conservative treatment in patients with a diabetic foot ulcer: An observational study.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is poor in patients with persistent diabetic foot ulcers and poor HRQoL predicts worse outcomes in these patients. Amputation is often considered a treatment failure, which is why conservative treatment is generally preferred over amputation. However, it is unclear whether minor amputation negatively affects HRQoL compared with conservative treatment in patients with diabetic foot ulcers.

Lanreotide Autogel in the Treatment of Idiopathic Refractory Diarrhea: Results of an Exploratory, Controlled, Before and After, Open-label, Multicenter, Prospective Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Chronic idiopathic diarrhea is the passage of loose stools >3 times daily, or a stool weight >200 g/d, persisting for >4 weeks without clear clinical cause. Patients refractory to standard anti-diarrhetics have limited treatment options. Somatostatin analogues have the ability to reduce gastrointestinal secretions and motility.

The German and Belgian accreditation models for diabetic foot services.

The International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot recommends that auditing should be part of the organization of diabetic foot care, the efforts required for data collection and analysis being balanced by the expected benefits. In Germany legislature demands measures of quality management for in- and out-patient facilities, and, in 2003, the Germany Working Group on the Diabetic Foot defined and developed a certification procedure for diabetic foot centres to be recognized as 'specialized'. This includes a description of management facilities, treatment procedures and outcomes, as well as the organization of mutual auditing visits between the centres.

Predictors of lower-extremity amputation in patients with an infected diabetic foot ulcer.

Objective: Infection commonly complicates diabetic foot ulcers and is associated with a poor outcome. In a cohort of individuals with an infected diabetic foot ulcer, we aimed to determine independent predictors of lower-extremity amputation and the predictive value for amputation of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) classification system and to develop a risk score for predicting amputation.

Research Design And Methods: We prospectively studied 575 patients with an infected diabetic foot ulcer presenting to 1 of 14 diabetic foot clinics in 10 European countries.

Content, participants and outcomes of three diabetes care programmes in three low and middle income countries.

Aims: To improve access and quality of diabetes care for people in low-income countries, it is important to understand which elements of diabetes care are effective. This paper analyses three diabetes care programmes in the DR Congo, Cambodia and the Philippines.

Methods: Three programmes offering diabetes care and self-management were selected.

Burden of diabetic foot disorders, guidelines for management and disparities in implementation in Europe: a systematic literature review.

The study aimed to assess the economic and quality of life burden of diabetic foot disorders and to identify disparities in the recommendations from guidelines and the current clinical practice across the EU5 (Spain, Italy, France, UK and Germany) countries. Literature search of electronic databases (MEDLINE®, Embase® and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) was undertaken. English language studies investigating economic and resource burden, quality of life and management of diabetic foot disease in the EU5 countries were included.

[Epidemic of hantavirus disease in Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse: year 1992-1993. Clinical and biological aspects].

A multihospital study allowed us to follow a total of 62 serologically proven cases of Nephropathia epidemica (NE) in the Belgian region between Sambre and Meuse during the 1992-1993 period. The clinical picture consisted of sudden high fever (100% of the cases), headache (71%), abdominal or lumbar pains (80%) and, as a less frequent but very specific sign, acute myopia (24%). Non-specific respiratory symptoms such as a non-productive cough and an abnormal lung auscultation were found in 1 case out of 4.