title: Diagnosis and management of infection in the diabetic foot.
abstract: Foot infections are common in persons with diabetes mellitus. Most diabetic foot infections occur in a foot ulcer, which serves as a point of entry for pathogens. Unchecked, infection can spread contiguously to involve underlying tissues, including bone. A diabetic foot infection is often the pivotal event leading to lower extremity amputation, which account for about 60% of all amputations in developed countries. Given the crucial role infections play in the cascade toward amputation, all clinicians who see diabetic patients should have at least a basic understanding of how to diagnose and treat this problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Room ZH4A35, PO Box 7057, Amsterdam NL-1007MB, The Netherlands. ejgpeters@usa.net
authors.forename: Edgar J G
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Benjamin A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Lipsky
mesh_terms: D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001177:Arthropathy, Neurogenic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D023821:Limb Salvage; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antibiotic therapy; Culture techniques; Diabetic foot; Foot infection; Microbiology; Osteomyelitis