Incidence of lower limb amputations in individuals with and without diabetes mellitus in Andalusia (Spain) from 1998 to 2006.

AIMS

We studied the changes in the incidence of lower limb amputation (LLA) in Andalusia from 1998 to 2006 in the population with and without diabetes.

METHODS

We undertook a retrospective study of all LLA performed in Andalusia in people aged 30 years old, with or without diabetes, between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2006. We obtained the crude and standardized incidence rates by year, and sex for three periods: 1998-2000, 2001-2003 and 2004-2006 and calculated the RR of requiring LLA in patients with diabetes. To test for time trend, Poisson regression models were fitted.

RESULTS

A total of 16,210 LLA were carried out in Andalusia, 72.6% in patients with diabetes mellitus and 66.4% in men. In the population with diabetes the standardized incidence of all LLA was found to be 344.0 per 100,000 (95% CI, 315.4-372.4) in 2004-2006. There was an estimated incidence increase for all LLA by 14% and for minor LLA by 13.6% in 2004-2006. In people with diabetes the RR increased by 31.6% as compared to the first period.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the implementation of a care plan for patients with diabetes, the incidence of LLA has not fallen in Andalusia in recent years.