title: Manufactured shoes in the prevention of diabetic foot ulcers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of manufactured shoes specially designed for diabetic patients (Podiabetes by Buratto Italy) to prevent relapses of foot ulcerations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective multicenter randomized follow-up study of patients with previous foot ulcerations was conducted. Patients were alternatively assigned to wear either their own shoes (control group, C; n = 36) or therapeutic shoes (Podiabetes group, P; n = 33). The number of ulcer relapses was recorded during 1-year follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both C and P groups had similar risk factors for foot ulceration (i.e., previous foot ulceration, mean vibratory perception threshold > 25 mV). After 1 year, the foot ulcer relapses were significantly lower in P than in C (27.7 vs. 58.3%; P = 0.009; odds ratio 0.26 [0.2-1.54]). In a multiple regression analysis, the use of therapeutic shoes was negatively associated with foot ulcer relapses (coefficient of variation = -0.315; 95% confidence interval = -0.54 to -0.08; P = 0.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of specially designed shoes is effective in preventing relapses in diabetic patients with previous ulceration.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Endocrinologia, Università Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uccioli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Faglia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monticone
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Favales
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Durola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aldeghi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quarantiello
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Menzinger
mesh_terms: D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012775:Shoes; D014732:Vibration