RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of the defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion in patients with diabetic foot. METHOD: A diagnostic accuracy study with a cross-sectional design was carried out with patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on outpatient diabetic foot treatment. We evaluated 134 patients with diabetic foot to determine the accuracy of the defining characteristics of ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion. A latent class model with random effects was used to establish the sensitivity and specificity of the defining characteristics assessed. RESULTS: Ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion was present in 83.79% of the patients. The defining characteristics color does not return to lowered limb after 1-minute leg elevation and edema had high sensitivity (0.8370 and 0.7213) and specificity (0.9991 and 0.9995). CONCLUSION: The defining characteristics color does not return to lowered limb after 1-minute leg elevation and edema are good clinical indicators that can be used for screening and confirming ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion in patients with diabetic foot.