Prevalence and Risk Factors of Diabetic Septic Foot among Attendees of Diabetes Center of Arar City, Northern Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Diabetic septic foot contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality of patients with diabetes leading to substantial physical, physiological and financial burden for the patients and community at large. Objective: to determine the prevalence, patterns and risk factors of diabetic foot ulcers amongst patients with diabetes mellitus who were attending the diabetes center of Arar city in the period of the study. Methods: This was a retrospective study in the patients of the diabetes center of Arar city, Northern Saudi Arabia. The study was carried out during the period from 1 April to 31 May, 2018. All the patients attended the diabetes center in the period of the study were included in our data. The data were collected using a predesigned questionnaire. The questionnaire covered all the necessary items in the research. Data were collected through personal interviews with the participants and filling the questionnaires. Results: The prevalence of diabetic foot among the included diabetic patients was 52.8%. 77.8% had type II and 22.2% had type I, 83.3% had glucometer and 38.9% monitor their blood glucose level daily, 41.7% were obese, 77.8% had hypertension, 52.8% had hyperlipidemia. Only 11.1% examined the pulse and sensation the foot of the population. For diabetes control, 58.3% of them use oral tablets, 27.8% use insulin injection and 13.9% use both tablets and insulin but 52.8 of them have complication with treatment. Conclusion: The prevalence of diabetic foot among the included diabetic patients was high (52.8%). This emphasizes the importance of the more health education and better management of the diabetic patients in order to reduce the burden of health care costs of diabetic foot.