A new algorithm for the management of diabetic foot ulcer: recommendations from Central and Eastern Europe.

There is wide regional variation in clinical practice and access to treatment for patients with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) from countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). A treatment algorithm that reflects current treatment practices while providing a common framework may facilitate best practice in DFU management and improve outcomes across the CEE region. Following a series of regional advisory board meetings with experts from Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Croatia, we present consensus recommendations for the management of DFU and outline the key features of a unified algorithm for dissemination and use as a quick tool in clinical practice in CEE. The algorithm should be accessible to specialists as well as non-specialist clinicians and should incorporate: patient screening; checkpoints for assessment and referral; triggers of treatment change; and strategies for infection control, wound bed preparation and offloading. Among adjunctive treatments in DFU, there is a clear role for topical oxygen therapy, which can be used concomitantly with most existing treatment regimens in hard-to-heal wounds following standard of care. Countries from CEE face a number of challenges in the management of DFU. It is hoped that such an algorithm will help standardise the approach to DFU management and overcome some of these challenges. Ultimately, a regionwide treatment algorithm in CEE has the potential to improve clinical outcomes and save limbs.

Podiatric care from diabetologists point of view.

Scoring for the risk of Diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) should be performed regularly in each patient with diabetes mellitus (DM). Patients at risk for DFS should be followed by diabetologists, those with moderate and severe risk for the development of DFS or those with DFS in remission should be already followed by podiatrists. The aim of our study was to determine the extent of DFS risk screening procedures, dispensary care of patients at risk for DFS and treatment of patients with newly developed DFS in diabetes clinics in the Czech Republic. METHODS: To find out the study data, we prepared in cooperation with the ČDS ČLS JEP Committee a questionnaire survey for outpatient diabetology specialists. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 57% (76/135) of diabetologists. Most of them dispensary approximately 1000- 2000 patients with DM. Their feet are checked by 98.7% of diabetologists (1.6 ± 0.8 times a year on average). Screening for the risk of DFS (13024) is performing in less than 100 patients by 74.3% of diabetologists, in 100-200 patients by 14.9% and in more than 200 patients by 10.8% of diabetologists. 77% of respondents are able to examine neuropathy, the rest send their patients to neurologists, peripheral arterial disease is evaluated by only 47.3% of diabetologists (35.3% of them use some form of instrumental examination), others (48.6%) send patients to angiologists, 4.1% of diabetologists do not examine PAD at all). Based on the assessed findings, more than half of the respondents (50.7%) perform scoring for the risk of DFS, but 1/5 of outpatient diabetologists do not know how the scoring is performed. If colleagues find a patient at a risk for DFS, they usually follow him/her by themselves (64.4%), in 24.6% of cases they send the patient immediately to podiatry or surgery (11%). If a patient with a new DFS comes at diabetology clinic, 72.6% of diabetologists are able to prescribe off-loading, 60.3% antibiotics, 47.9% local therapy. Only 52.1% of diabetologists send a patient with a new DFS to outpatient foot clinic, 39.7% to surgery, the rest of them elsewhere. CONCLUSION: Based on the questionnaire survey results, the screening of DFS is currently severely undersized in outpatient diabetology clinics, it is sufficiently performed only by 11% of diabetologists. Only 16% of diabetologists perform some form of non-invasive diagnostic procedures detecting peripheral arterial disease, neuropathy examinations are more common. If a diabetologist meet a patient with newly developed DFS, he/she is able to prescribe off-loading or antibiotics, but only half of the diabetologists send the patient to outpatient foot clinic, probably due to a lack of them or their overload.

Concentration Variability of Water-Soluble Ions during the Acceptable and Exceeded Pollution in an Industrial Region.

This study investigates the chemical composition of water-soluble inorganic ions at eight localities situated in the Moravian-Silesian Region (the Czech Republic) at the border with Poland. Water-soluble inorganic ions were monitored in the winter period of 2018 (January, 11 days and February, 5 days). The set was divided into two periods: the acceptable period (the 24-h concentration of PM10 < 50 µg/m3) and the period with exceeded pollution (PM10 ˃ 50 µg/m3). Air quality in the Moravian-Silesian Region and Upper Silesia is among the most polluted in Europe, especially in the winter season when the concentration of PM10 is repeatedly exceeded. The information on the occurrence and behaviour of water-soluble inorganic ions in the air during the smog episodes in Europe is insufficient. The concentrations of water-soluble ions (chlorides, sulphates, nitrates, ammonium ions, potassium) during the exceeded period are higher by two to three times compared with the acceptable period. The major anions for both acceptable period and exceeded pollution are nitrates. During the period of exceeded pollution, percentages of water-soluble ions in PM10 decrease while percentages of carbonaceous matter and insoluble particles (fly ash) increase.