The Foot in Diabetes
Chapter One
Epidemiology and Economic
Impact of Foot Ulcers
Joseph W. LeMaster and Gayle E. Reiber
In the year 2005, most of the estimated 150 million people worldwide afflicted by diabetes
mellitus lived in developing countries. Diabetic foot ulcers will complicate the disease in more
than 15% of these people during their lifetimes. In prospective cohort studies conducted
among those with diabetes, history of a foot ulcer increased the risk of subsequent amputation
by two- to over three-fold. Foot ulcers precede more than 80% of non-traumatic lower limb
amputations. In this chapter, we will review the definition of a 'foot ulcer' and the studies
that estimate the incidence and prevalence of foot ulcers, making note of issues that need to
be considered in their computation. We will also review risk factors for foot ulcers from well-conducted
epidemiologic ... read full excerpt from The Foot in Diabetes ebook
