title: Presentation and outcome of diabetic foot ulcers in Saudi Arabian patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate associated risk factors, clinical presentation, and outcome of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) in a Saudi Arabian hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective study of diabetic patients with foot ulcers at Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization. The participants were referred to a wound care specialist. The study was conducted from December 2003 to December 2004 and included a total of 62 patients (30 men and 32 women). The mean age (SD) was 64.8 years (+ 12 years), with a range from 39 to 82 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 19% (12 of 62) of patients had amputations represented by 2 above-knee amputations, 3 below-knee amputations, and 7 limb-sparing surgeries. All patients with DFUs who underwent surgical amputation had a Wagner Classification of grade 4 (n = 9; 75%) or grade 5 (n = 3; 25%). Three patients (25%) had prior surgical limb-sparing amputations, and 11 (91%) patients were on insulin therapy. The associated risk factors with amputation were hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, absence of pedal pulses, and ischemic heart disease (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DFUs continue to be an important cause of morbidity and resulted in an amputation rate of 19%.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases Department, Dhahran Health Center, Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Jaffar A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Al-Tawfiq
authors.forename: Jane A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Johndrow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology