The data of people with foot conditions in diabetes who had major amputations has been analysed in a new study to determine the relevant factors which affected the surgical level of amputation.
The research saw 48 patients who were admitted to Air Force Hospital of PLA Eastern Theater Command in China divided into two groups – a transtibial amputation (TT) group and a transfemoral amputation (TF) group.
Researchers reported the following results: “The proportion of patients who had cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications in the TT group was lower than that in the TF group (26.67% [4/15] vs. 57.58% [19/33], P<0.05), the proportion of patients who had lower extremity arterial intervention history was higher in the TT group than that in the TF group (40% [6/15] vs. 9.09% [3/33], P<0.05), and the proportion of patients who had elevated creatinine level was lower in the TT group than that in the TF group (70.31±22.98 vs. 127.98±108.38, P<0.05).”
They concluded that “history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, serum creatinine level and history of lower extremity arterial intervention are the main factors affecting the surgical level of major amputations in patients with severe diabetic foot, and the history of lower extremity arterial intervention may be an independent protective factor.”
The research was carried out by a team from the Air Force Hospital of PLA Eastern Theater Command and Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital.
