DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i02.002

Pages: 426-430

The aim of the study was to determine the various predisposing factors for diabetic foot with respect to Indian population. The diabetic foot syndrome is defined as an array of foot abnormalities, resulting from peripheral neuropathy, micro and macroangiopathy and other consequences of metabolic disturbances. The study revealed that the mean (mean ± s.d.) age of the patients was 56.51±7.14 years with range 42-75 years and the median age was 55 years. Most of the patients were with age between 50-69 years (86.3%). In this study 63.8% of the patients had habit of smoking which was significantly higher. Smoking is a strong risk factor for peripheral vascular disease, which is associated with diabetic foot ulcers. There is an association with barefoot walking and development of ulcers. In our study it was found patients had higher prevalence of neuropathy compared with peripheral vascular disease and this prevalence was lesser when compared to the Caucasians. Our study showed that more than 86% of the ulcers encountered by us were infected and cultures showed a polymicrobial growth. It was shown that patients, who followed strict control of blood sugar, i.e. lower HbA1c, developed lesser complication when compared to those with a higher HbA1c