Influence of diabetes on persistent nonhealing ischemic foot ulcer in end-stage renal disease

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify important atherosclerotic risk factors for characteristic nonhealing ischemic foot ulcers in patients with end-stage renal failure. We retrospectively studied 534 consecutive hemodialysis patients in five dialysis units of the Tokyo metropolitan area between 1980 and 1999. The influence of risk factors for ischemic foot ulcers in hemodialysis patients was determined using a multivariate logistic model. The characteristic features were also evaluated with further comparison of the prevalence of risk factors between hemodialyzed diabetic patients with ischemic foot ulcers and another 61 age- and gender-matched nonhemodialyzed diabetic patients with ischemic foot ulcers. In the logistic model, two factors emerged as important risk factors for ischemic foot ulcers: renal failure due to diabetes [odds ratio 21.580 (95% CI 4.838-96.251); p = 0.0001] and a history of cerebrovascular disease [odds ratio 2.782 (1.015-7.624); p = 0.0467]. On the basis of a comparison of age- and gender-matched control patients, associated diabetic triopathy, a history of cerebrovascular disease, and hypertension were more frequent in the hemodialysis patients. The development of ischemic foot ulcers in those with end-stage renal failure is strongly influenced by underlying advanced diabetic microangiopathy and such other factors as sequelae of cerebrovascular disease and patient debilitation.