title: Epidemiology of lower limb amputations in diabetics in Denmark (1980 to 1989).
abstract: From 1980 to 1989, 4852 diabetic patients in Denmark underwent 5642 lower limb amputations. Records of the Danish Amputation Register and the National Patient Register indicate a decrease of amputations in diabetics from 681 to 463 per year in this time. There has also been a decrease in above knee amputations in diabetics from 30 to 20 percent of all amputations with a corresponding increase of amputations at or below the knee. Demographic factors and possible reasons for these changes are reviewed. There seems to be a relationship between the improvement of diabetic foot care by the free service of trained podiatrists and the reduction of amputations in diabetics in Denmark.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Herlev Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Ebskov
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male