DOI: 10.36347/sasjm.2022.v08i06.005

Pages: 400-402

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a glucose metabolic disorder with major complications ranging from tissue damage to issues with internal organs. Its prevalence keeps increasing at a very alarming rate and so does its major complication, foot ulcer, which constitutes to both economic burden and human suffering. Aims: The study aimed to establish the prevalence of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) hospitalised adult patients in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on all DFU patients admitted in the Medical ward at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Study variables included age and gender in. Data was processed for the 96 DFU patients. Result: A total of 96 DFU diabetic patients were studied with Male to Female ratio of about 1:2. Prevalence of diabetes was 7.8% with more cases in women (64.4%) than in men (35.6%). The prevalence of diabetic foot ulcer in relation to age was highest in the age group 60 years and above. Conclusion: Prevalence of DFU is high in this study. Establishing educational programmes to provide information to patients on peripheral neuropathy will help with poor glycaemic control and practice of foot care as well as provide a cost-effective way of preventing ulcers, amputations and even death.