History of and factors associated with diabetic foot ulcers in Norway: the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study.

Abstract

AIMS:

To determine the proportion of people with diabetes mellitus reporting a history of foot ulcer and to investigate factors associated with this adverse outcome.

METHODS:

All inhabitants aged 20 years and older residing in a large geographic region were invited to participate in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, 71% (n=65,604) attended. Those reporting diabetes (n=1,972) were invited to take part in an ancillary study on diabetes. Based on 1,494 responses to the question: "Have you had a foot ulcer that required more than three weeks to heal'', the proportion with a history of foot ulcer was estimated.

RESULTS:

The overall proportion with a history of foot ulcer was 10.4% (95% CI 8.8-11.9%). In the final multivariate logistic regression model, significant factors for a foot ulcer history included age > or =75 years (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.8), height (men>175 cm, women>161 cm) (1.9, 95% CI 1.3-2.8), gender (male) (1.5, 95% CI 1.03-2.2), using insulin (1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.4), and macrovascular complications (1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.6).

CONCLUSIONS:

The proportion of people reporting a history of foot ulcer in this population-based study exceeded the proportion of foot ulcer history reported previously. Height as a correlate has been occasionally reported in previous studies and needs further attention. Associated factors for a foot ulcer history help identify individuals who may be at particular risk of this adverse outcome.

• Authors: Marjolein M Iversen, Kristian Midthjell, Truls Østbye, Grethe S Tell, Elizabeth Clipp, Richard Sloane, Monica W Nortvedt, Sverre Uhlving, Berit R Hanestad
• Journal: Scandinavian journal of public health (Scand J Public Health) Vol. 36 Issue 1 Pg. 62-8 (Jan 2008) ISSN: 1403-4948 [Print] Sweden
• PMID: 18426786 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Hypoglycemic Agents
• Insulin

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Diabetes Mellitus (drug therapy)
• Diabetic Foot (epidemiology, etiology, therapy)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Hypoglycemic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Insulin (therapeutic use)
• Life Style
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Norway (epidemiology)
• Prevalence
• Risk Factors
• Surveys and Questionnaires