Diabetic foot ulcers in the Hong Kong Chinese population: retrospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the predictive power of various parameters on the final outcome of ulcerated diabetic feet among the Hong Kong Chinese population.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
Regional public hospital, Hong Kong.


METHODS
Medical records of 340 diabetic patients with foot ulcers (535) who were referred to the Diabetic Foot Clinic between July 1995 and June 2000 were reviewed.


METHODS
Demographic and clinical data, including assessment of the foot and blood parameters.


RESULTS
Increasing age, wound depth, the presence of ischaemia, a low albumin level, and the lack of simultaneous ulceration were determined by stepwise logistic regression analysis to be the most significant independent predictors of an unfavourable outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Major amputation is more likely to occur in elderly patients, with progressive wound depth, and in the presence of ischaemia. A low albumin level was also noted to be an independent predictor of major amputation in the population studied.
Leung
H B
HB
Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Ho
Y C
YC
Carnett
J
J
Lam
P K
PK
Wong
W C
WC
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution