title: Outpatient treatment of unilateral diabetic foot ulcers with 'half shoes'.
abstract: The impact of 'half shoes' in the treatment of neuropathic forefoot ulcers was studied in two groups of diabetic patients, who were treated either by standard treatment alone (retrospective controls, n = 22), or by standard treatment plus 'half shoes' (cases, n = 26). The groups were matched for sex, age, type, and duration of diabetes and ulcer grading. The 'half-shoe' cases' vs controls' median overall healing time was 70 vs 118 days, the median difference being 48 (95% CI: -5 to 82) days (NS). In the case group, hospitalization was required in 1/26 (4%) of patients, vs 9/22 (41%) of the control patients (chi-square, p < 0.01). The home nursing service was required in 23% of the cases vs 18% of the controls (NS). It is concluded that the use of half-shoes, in conjunction with standard treatment provided by a specialized diabetic foot clinic, may reduce the overall healing time and does reduce the hospitalization rate. This has implications for a rational strategy of treating unilateral diabetic neuropathic foot ulcers.
authors: Medical Department of Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, Heinrich-Heine-University of Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Chantelau
authors: U
authors: U
authors: Breuer
authors: A C
authors: AC
authors: Leisch
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Tanudjaja
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Reuter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D016523:Foot Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D012775:Shoes; D014945:Wound Healing