Effectiveness of a comprehensive diabetes lower-extremity amputation prevention program in a predominantly low-income African-American population.
OBJECTIVE
To compare patient outcomes 1 year before and 1 year after enrollment in a comprehensive diabetes lower-extremity amputation prevention program.


METHODS
Outcome data were obtained on 197 patients enrolled in the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Diabetes Foot Program, which provides foot care to a predominantly low-income African-American population in Louisiana. Data were obtained using a structured interview administered by a registered nurse. Recordings were made of number of days with an open foot ulcer, number of times hospitalized for a foot problem, number of days spent in the hospital for a foot problem, number of visits to the emergency room for a foot problem, number of times an antibiotic was prescribed for a foot problem, number of all foot operations, number of lower-extremity amputations, and number of missed workdays for a foot problem. Data were obtained on all patients at the initial visit and at the 1-year follow-up.


RESULTS
Analysis of data showed a reduction in foot-related ulcer days (-49%), hospitalizations, (-89%), hospital days (-90%), emergency room visits (-81%), antibiotic prescriptions, (-57%), foot operations (-87%), lower-extremity amputations (-79%), and missed workdays (-70%) after 1 year of comprehensive foot care compared with the 1-year period before treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
This single cohort outcome study showed a large reduction in foot-related complications after the first year of comprehensive preventive foot care.
Patout
C A
CA
Diabetes Foot Program, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Baton Rouge 70806, USA. cpatou@lsuhsc.edu
Birke
J A
JA
Horswell
R
R
Williams
D
D
Cerise
F P
FP
D001741:Black or African American; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003153:Community Health Services; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D016523:Foot Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007182:Income; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome