title: Optimal organization of health care in diabetic foot disease: introduction to the Eurodiale study.
abstract: This article describes the rationale and protocol of a large data collection study in patients with new diabetic foot ulcers by the Eurodiale study group, a consortium of centers of expertise in the field of diabetic foot disease within Europe. This study is a multicenter, observational, prospective data collection study. Its main aim is to determine the major factors determining clinical outcome and outcome in terms of health-related quality of life and health care consumption. Between September 1, 2003, and October 1, 2004, in 14 European centers, all consecutive patients with diabetes and a new foot ulcer were included in the study and followed until the end point or for a maximum of 1 year. End points were healing of the foot, major amputation, or death. Data were collected on patient, foot, and ulcer characteristics and on diagnostic and management procedures. Furthermore, data were collected on health care organization, quality of life, and resource use. A total of 1232 patients were included in the study. Sixty-three percent of the patients were referred by their general practitioner or were self-referrals. Twenty-seven percent of the patients were admitted at the time of inclusion; 1088 patients were followed until the end point. "Optimal Organization of Health Care in Diabetic Foot Disease" is one of the first large multicenter studies in the field of diabetic foot disease on clinical presentation, clinical outcome, quality of life, resource utilization, and health care organization and their interrelationships. These data will provide us with new insights that enable us to improve care for these patients and guide the development of new studies in this area. The results of this study are the subject of a separate presentation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands. leonne.prompers@intmed.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: Leonne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Prompers
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huijberts
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Apelqvist
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jude
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piaggesi
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bakker
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Edmonds
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Holstein
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jirkovska
authors.forename: Didac
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mauricio
authors.forename: Gunnel Ragnarson
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Tennvall
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reike
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spraul
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uccioli
authors.forename: Vilma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Urbancic
authors.forename: Kristien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Acker
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Baal
authors.forename: Frits
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Merode
authors.forename: Nicolaas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schaper
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D016896:Treatment Outcome