DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS: THE IMPACT OF POOR GLUCOSE CONTROL ON OUTCOMES OF TREATMENT

Abstract

Diabetic foot ulcers are a difficult clinical entity. The healing is often delayed due to a number of factors. We also propose in this work the concept of the six detriments to healing a DFU (poor glycemic control, infection, failure to offload the foot, poor nutrition, poor vascular supply, deformity and smoking) - a novel method of approaching the treatment of DFUs but also an important consideration of studying this problem as potential confounders in outcome. This work will describe both the literature associated with these detriments to healing as well as attempt to describe their inter-relations. Furthermore, we test the hypothesis that one of the potential detriments to healing (poor glycemic control) has a direct negative impact on the healing of a DFU. This is done through a cohort design study of patients in a single outpatient clinic undergoing treatment for their DFU.