Correlation between amputation of diabetic foot and nephropathy.

INTRODUCTION

A diabetic foot lesion remains a major cause of morbidity in diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease. We studied the relation between kidney function and the risk of amputation in patients with diabetic foot.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed retrospectively the charts of 244 patients admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital of Sari, Iran, for diabetic foot from 1996 to 2005. Their clinical characteristics and kidney function indicators, including urine protein excretion and serum creatinine were analyzed and compared between amputees and nonamputees.

RESULTS

There were 244 patients with diabetic foot who were admitted to our center during the studied period. The duration of being affected by DM was between 3 months and 34 years (mean, 11.80 +/- 6.81 years). Sixty-six patients (27.0%) underwent amputation. The amputees were older than the nonamputees (61.1 +/- 11.5 years versus 55.6 +/- 12.5 years, P < .001). There were 20 patients (30.3%) in the amputee group and 44 (24.7%) in the nonamputee group who had proteinuria (P = .38). The mean creatinine level was significantly higher in the amputees compared to the nonamputees (1.78 +/- 1.36 mg/dL versus 1.28 +/- 1.23 mg/dL, P = .03).

CONCLUSIONS

Lower extremity amputations in our patients with diabetic foot were strongly associated with elevated serum creatinine levels. The presence of this complication necessitates intensifying actions in order to prevent amputations.