Trends in the incidence of lower limb amputation after implementation of a Multidisciplinary Diabetic Foot Unit

Abstract

Backgrounds and objective: Incidence of lower extremity amputations (LEA) in the population with and without diabetes mellitus (DM) was assessed after implementation of a Multidisciplinary Diabetic Foot Unit (MDFU) during 2008.

Material and methods: Non-traumatic LEA were analyzed, and those performed before (2001-2007) and after (2008-2014) introduction of the MDFU were compared. LEA were grouped by age and sex. Their incidence was expressed as a rate per 100,000 population per year, adjusted to the standard European population.

Results: A total of 664 LEA were performed during the 2001-2014 period, 486 (73%) of them in patients with DM. Total LEA incidence was 11.2/10⁵ population in DM versus 3.9/10⁵ in the population without DM. Incidence of major LEA in patients with DM significantly decreased from 6.1/10⁵ population in the 2001-2007 period to 4.5/10⁵ in the 2008-2014 period (p=.03). Joinpoint regression analysis also showed a reduction in the trend of incidence of major LEA in patients with DM, with an annual percentage change of -3.3% [95% CI, -6.2-0.3] (p=.025). No significant differences were found for all other incidences and trends in the diabetic and non-diabetic populations.

Conclusions: Implementation of a MDFU has been shown to be associated with a significant reduction in major amputation rate in the diabetic population, although the results are not optimal yet. Both results and work at the MDFU should be improved.

Keywords: Amputación miembro inferior; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic foot; Diabetic foot clinic; Lower limb amputation; Pie diabético; Unidad de pie diabético.