title: Hand infections in patients with diabetes mellitus.
abstract: Fifty diabetic patients with hand infections were studied retrospectively. The cause of infection varied, and the infections were divided into two groups: superficial infections and abscesses. The amputation rate was 14%. Only patients who presented with an abscess required amputation, and of those patients with abscesses, 17.5% required amputation. Eighteen of 38 cultured infections were polymicrobial, 4 contained Enterococcus, 11 contained gram-negative bacteria, and 3 contained anaerobic organisms. Bacteriologic culture analysis initiated a two-drug protocol: ampicillin with sulbactam (Unasyn; Pfizer, New York, NY) or piperacillin with tazobactam (Zosyn; Lederle, Pearl River, NY) and gentamicin (renal adjusted).
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock 79430, USA.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kimbrough
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dabezies
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents