Diabetic foot disease carries an intrinsic high risk of mortality and other severe outcomes in type 2 diabetes: a propensity score-matched retrospective population-based study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the association between diabetic foot disease (DFD) and the incidence of fatal and non-fatal events in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) from primary-care settings. METHODS: We built a cohort of people with a first DFD episode during 2010-2015, followed up until 2018. These subjects were 1 to 1 propensity score matched to subjects with T2DM without DFD. The incidence of all-cause mortality, the occurrence of new DFD, amputations, cardiovascular diseases, or composite outcome, including all-cause mortality and/or cardiovascular events during the follow-up period, were calculated. A Cox proportional hazard analysis was conducted to evaluate the hazard ratios (HR) for different events. RESULTS: Overall, 11,117 subjects with T2DM with a first episode of DFD were compared with subjects without DFD. We observed higher incidence rates (IRs) for composite outcome (33.9 vs. 14.5 IR per 100 person-years) and a new DFD episode event (22.2 vs. 1.1 IR per 100 person-years) in the DFD group. Compared to those without DFD, those with a first episode of DFD had a higher HR for all events, with excess rates particularly for amputation and new DFD occurrence (HR: 19.4, 95% CI: 16.7-22.6, HR: 15.1, 95% CI: 13.8-16.5, respectively) was found. CONCLUSIONS: Although DFD often coexists with other risk factors, it carries an intrinsic high risk of morbidity and mortality in individuals with T2DM. DFD should be regarded as a severe complication already at its onset, as it carries a poor clinical prognosis.

Measurement of the ankle brachial index with a non-mercury sphygmomanometer in diabetic patients: a concordance study.

BACKGROUND: The removal of mercury sphygmomanometers from health centers requires the validation of other instruments to measure blood pressure in the limbs to calculate the ankle-brachial index (ABI). METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study of agreement between two measurement methods in type 2 diabetes patients from three urban primary healthcare centres in the Barcelonès Nord i Maresme area (Catalonia, Spain). RESULTS: 211 patients were included, from these, 421 limbs were available for study. The mean age of the participants was 67 years (SD = 10), 51.7% were women. CONCLUSION: The combination of a Doppler device with the hybrid sphygmomanometer is a simple and reliable method to measure ABI showing that hybrid sphygmomanometer is a good alternative to the use of mercury sphygmomanometers.

Prediction of outcomes in subjects with type 2 diabetes and diabetic foot ulcers in Catalonian primary care centers: a multicenter observational study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot and lower limb complications are an important cause of morbidity and mortality among persons with diabetes mellitus. Very few studies have been carried out in the primary care settings. The main objective was to assess the prognosis of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) in patients from primary care centers in Catalonia, Spain, during a 12-month follow-up period. METHODS: We included participants with type 2 diabetes and a new DFU between February 2018 and July 2019. We estimated the incidence of mortality, amputations, recurrence and healing of DFU during the follow-up period. A multivariable analysis was performed to assess the association of these outcomes and risk factors. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 9.7% of participants died, 12.1% required amputation, 29.2% had a DFU recurrence, and 73.8% healed. Having a caregiver, ischemia or infection were associated with higher mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR]:3.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.05; 12.61, HR: 6.41, 95%CI: 2.25; 18.30, HR: 3.06, 95%CI: 1.05; 8.94, respectively). Diabetic retinopathy was an independent risk factor for amputation events (HR: 3.39, 95%CI: 1.37; 8.39). Increasing age decreased the risk for a DFU recurrence, while having a caregiver increased the risk for this event (HR: 0.97, 95%CI: 0.94; 0.99). The need for a caregiver and infection decreased the probability of DFU healing (HR: 0.57, 95%CI: 0.39; 0.83, HR: 0.64, 95%CI: 0.42; 0.98, respectively). High scores for PEDIS (≥7) or SINBAD (≥3) were associated with an increased risk for DFU recurrence and a lower probability of DFU healing, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We observed high morbidity among subjects with a new DFU in our primary healthcare facilities. Peripheral arterial disease, infection, and microvascular complications increased the risk of poor clinical outcomes among subjects with DFU.

Prevalence and risk factors of diabetic foot disease among the people with type 2 diabetes using real-world practice data from Catalonia during 2018.

Background: Our study aimed to assess the prevalence of diabetic foot disease (DFD) and its associated risk factors among subjects attending primary care centers in Catalonia (Spain). Methods: We undertook a cross-sectional analysis of data from the primary health care (SIDIAP) database. The presence of comorbidities and concomitant medication were analyzed for subjects with or without DFD. DFD prevalence was estimated from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2018. Results: During the 12-month observational period, out of 394,266 people with type 2 diabetes, we identified 3,277 (0.83%) active episodes of DFD in the database. The majority of these episodes were foot ulcers (82%). The mean age of patients with DFD was 70.3 (± 12.5) years and 55% were male. In the multivariable descriptive models, male gender, diabetes duration, hypertension, macrovascular, microvascular complications, and insulin and antiplatelet agents were strongly associated with DFD. A previous history of DFD was the stronger risk factor for DFD occurrence in subjects with T2DM (OR: 13.19, 95%CI: 11.81; 14.72). Conclusions: In this real-world primary care practice database, we found a lower prevalence of DFD compared to similar previous studies. Risk factors such as male sex, duration of diabetes, diabetes complications and previous history of DFD were associated with the presence of DFD.

Incidence and characteristics of diabetic foot ulcers in subjects with type 2 diabetes in Catalonian primary care centres: An observational multicentre study.

AIMS: The main objective was to assess the incidence of diabetic foot ulcers in type 2 diabetes individuals from primary care centres in Catalonia, Spain. METHODS: Prospective observational study in 36 Primary Care centres in Catalonia during February 2018 and July 2019 was conducted. We included participants with type 2 diabetes and a new foot ulcer. We estimated the annual foot ulcer incidence and described the characteristics: presence of comorbidities, clinical parameters and the characteristics of the diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) at inclusion in the study. RESULTS: The incidence of a new DFU during the 12-month recruitment period was 0.42%. The mean age of the participants was 72.2 years (± 12.7), the majority of them were males (n = 178; 69.5%). Overall, 43.8% of DFUs were located on the dorsal aspect of toes or interdigital spaces. A percentage of 43.4% of the participants had ulcers of less than 1 cm2 surface. Further, 44.1% of the participants had a neuroischemic, 20.3% a neuropathic, 20.3% an ischemic ulcer. A 25.3% of ulcers with a concomitant peripheral artery disease were infected. CONCLUSIONS: Although the incidence found was low, our study shows the great complexity of patients with foot ulcers treated in primary care.

Prevalence and associated factors of silent brain infarcts in a Mediterranean cohort of hypertensives.

Silent brain infarcts (SBIs) are detected by neuroimaging in approximately 20% of elderly patients in population-based studies. Limited evidence is available for hypertensives at low cardiovascular risk countries. Investigating Silent Strokes in Hypertensives: a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study (ISSYS) is aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of SBIs in a hypertensive Mediterranean population. This is a cohort study in randomly selected hypertensives, aged 50 to 70 years old, and free of clinical stroke and dementia. On baseline, all participants underwent a brain magnetic resonance imaging to assess prevalence and location of silent infarcts, and data on vascular risk factors, comorbidities, and the presence of subclinical cardiorenal damage (left ventricular hypertrophy and microalbuminuria) were collected. Multivariate analyses were performed to determine SBIs associated factors. A total of 976 patients (49.4% men, mean age 64 years) were enrolled, and 163 SBIs were detected in 99 participants (prevalence 10.1%; 95% CI, 8.4%-12.2%), most of them (64.4%) located in the basal ganglia and subcortical white matter. After adjustment, besides age and sex, microalbuminuria and increasing total cardiovascular risk (assessed by the Framingham-calibrated for Spanish population risk function) were independently associated with SBIs. Male sex increased the odds of having SBIs in 2.5 as compared with females. Our results highlight the importance of considering both global risk assessment and sex differences in hypertension and may be useful to design future preventive interventions of stroke and dementia.

[Correlation between toe-brachial index and ankle-brachial index in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2]. / Correlación entre los índices dedo-brazo y tobillo-brazo en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: We aimed to know the prevalence of abnormal toe-brachial index (TBI) in a group of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). We also aimed to know the correlation between TBI and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) in these patients and determine the abnormal value of TBI. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in primary care. DM2 patients over 50 years were included. Systolic blood pressure at the arm, ankle and toe were determined to calculate the ABI and the TBI. RESULTS: We studied 175 patients (350 limbs) of a mean age of 67 years (SD=9), 53.7% were women and 72.3% had hypertension. The ABI was abnormal (≤ 0.90) in 8.3% of the limbs and 8.6% met criteria of calcification (≥ 1.40). The TBI was abnormal (≤ 0.60) in 18.6% of cases. Of the 291 limbs with a normal ABI, 34 (11.7%) had an abnormal value of TBI and the 30 limbs with a calcified ABI, 6 (20%) had an abnormal value of TBI. There was a positive linear correlation between ABI and TBI (r = 0.395, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Determination of TBI provides additional information to ABI determination and exploration can be very useful in cases of arterial calcification. The value ≤ 0.60 is the best one to consider an abnormal TBI.

Correlación entre los índices dedo-brazo y tobillo-brazo en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 / Correlation between toe-brachial index and ankle-brachial index in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2

Fundamento y objetivo: Conocer la prevalencia de índice dedo-brazo (IDB) patológico en un grupo de pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2). Conocer la correlación entre el IDB y el índice tobillo-brazo (ITB) en estos pacientes y determinar a partir de que valor se debe considerar patológico el IDB. Pacientes y método: Estudio descriptivo transversal realizado en atención primaria. Se incluyeron pacientes mayores de 50 años con DM2. Se determinaron las presiones arteriales sistólicas en el brazo, tobillo y dedo del pie para poder calcular el ITB y el IDB. Resultados: Se estudiaron 175 pacientes (350 extremidades) de edad media (DE) 67 (9) años. El 53,7% eran mujeres y un 72,3% hipertensos. El ITB fue patológico ( 0,90) en 8,3% de las extremidades y un 8,6% cumplía criterios de calcificacio´n ( 1,40). El IDB fue patológico ( 0,60) en el 18,6% de los casos. De las 291 extremidades con un ITB normal, 34 (11,7%) presentaban un valor patológico del IDB, y de las 30 extremidades con un ITB calcificado, 6 ( 0%) presentaban un valor patológico del IDB. Entre el ITB y el IDB se observó una correlacio´n lineal positiva (r = 0,395; p < 0,001), que se mantuvo en presencia de calcificación arterial pero en sentido opuesto (r = -0,452; p = 0,012). La mayor área bajo la curva ROC la presentó el punto de corte de IDB patológico <0,60. Conclusiones: La determinacio´n del IDB aporta información adicional a la determinación del ITB y puede ser una exploración muy útil en caso de calcificación arterial. El valor inferior o igual a 0,60 es el más adecuado para considerar un IDB patológico (AU)

Background and objective: We aimed to know the prevalence of abnormal toe-brachial index (TBI) in a group of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). We also aimed to know the correlation between TBI and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) in these patients and determine the abnormal value of TBI. Patients and methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in primary care. DM2 patients over 50 years were included. Systolic blood pressure at the arm, ankle and toe were determined to calculate the ABI and the TBI. Results: We studied 175 patients (350 limbs) of a mean age of 67 years (SD = 9), 53.7% were women and 72.3% had hypertension. The ABI was abnormal ( 0.90) in 8.3% of the limbs and 8.6% met criteria of calcification ( 1.40). The TBI was abnormal ( 0.60) in 18.6% of cases. Of the 291 limbs with a normal ABI, 34 (11.7%) had an abnormal value of TBI and the 30 limbs with a calcified ABI, 6 (20%) had an abnormal value of TBI. There was a positive linear correlation between ABI and TBI (r = 0.395, < .001). Conclusions: Determination of TBI provides additional information to ABI determination and exploration can be very useful in cases of arterial calcification. The value <0.60 is the best one to consider an abnormal TBI (AU)