Update in diagnosis and treatment of diabetic foot infections

Abstract

Foot infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetics. Evaluation of diabetic foot infections often requires clinical, radiologic, laboratory, and microbiologic assessment. Osteomyelitis has a profound impact on the prognosis and management of these infections, and diagnosis can be difficult; the gold standard remains bone biopsy. Despite a panoply of studies, the optimal management of diabetic foot infections remains poorly understood. Antibiotics, surgery, rehabilitation and/or off-loading, and glycemic control remain the cornerstones of treatment; alternative therapies remain largely unproven.