title: Lessons from Eurodiale.
abstract: The European Study Group on Diabetes and the Lower Extremity is a collaborative, multi-disciplinary network of 14 centres from ten countries. In 2003-2004, all patients treated in the participating centres because of a new diabetic foot ulcer (n=1232) were included in a prospective observational study. Subjects attended follow-up visits on a monthly basis until final outcome: healing of the foot, lower-leg amputation, death or non-healing after 1 year. During all visits, data were recorded on standardized case record forms by investigators who were trained during several plenary meetings and on-site visits. Unique aspects of the study were its size, the pan-European scope and the integrated/holistic approach for a multi-organ disease. In this review, the main findings of the study and its implications for diabetic foot care are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Research Schools CAPHRI and CARIM, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands. n.schaper@mumc.nl
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Schaper
mesh_terms: D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies