exudates and Diabetic-Foot

Self-care behaviour is essential in preventing diabetes foot problems. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of health education programs based on the self-efficacy theory on foot self-care behaviour for older adults with diabetes.. A randomised controlled trial was conducted for 12 weeks among older adults with diabetes in elderly care facility in Peninsular Malaysia. Six elderly care facility were randomly allocated by an independent person into two groups (intervention and control). The intervention group (three elderly care facility) received a health education program on foot self-care behaviour while the control group (three elderly care facility) received standard care. Participants were assessed at baseline, and at week-4 and week-12 follow-ups. The primary outcome was foot-self-care behaviour. Foot care self-efficacy (efficacy expectation), foot care outcome expectation, knowledge of foot care and quality of life were the secondary outcomes. Data were analysed with Mixed Design Analysis of Variance using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22.0.. 184 respondents were recruited but only 76 met the selection criteria and were included in the analysis. Foot self-care behaviour, foot care self-efficacy (efficacy expectation), foot care outcome expectation and knowledge of foot care improved in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). However, some of these improvements did not significantly differ compared to the control group for QoL physical symptoms and QoL psychosocial functioning (p > 0.05).. The self-efficacy enhancing program improved foot self-care behaviour with respect to the delivered program. It is expected that in the future, the self-efficacy theory can be incorporated into diabetes education to enhance foot self-care behaviour for elderly with diabetes living in other institutional care facilities.. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12616000210471.

Topics: Aged; Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetic Foot; Female; Health Education; Health Promotion; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Program Evaluation; Quality of Life; Self Care; Self Efficacy

Peripheral diabetic neuropathy, which is a cause of increasing morbidity and mortality following foot ulcers and amputations, is a burden to health and the economy. Various adjunct treatments to improve neuropathy have been introduced into the market; one such treatment is monochromatic infrared energy (MIRE) therapy, which claimed to produce promising results. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of MIRE on diabetic feet with peripheral neuropathy.. A randomised controlled, single-blinded study was conducted at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia from February 2008 to October 2008. A total of 30 feet from 24 patients were studied. Neuropathy was screened using the Michigan neuropathy scoring instrument, followed by an assessment of the current perception threshold using a neurometer at frequencies of 2,000 Hz, 250 Hz and 5 Hz. The feet were randomised to receive either daily MIRE or sham treatment for a total of 12 treatments. Each foot was then reassessed using the neurometer at six weeks and three months following treatment.. The data obtained was analysed using a non-parametric test to compare the pre- and post-treatment groups. No significant difference was found between the neuropathic foot of diabetic patients in both the MIRE and sham groups.. No improvement of neuropathy was observed following MIRE treatment in the neuropathic feet of diabetic patients.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Diabetic Foot; Diabetic Neuropathies; Female; Foot; Humans; Infrared Rays; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases; Phototherapy; Single-Blind Method; Treatment Outcome

This is prospective case-control study of more than 18 months performed to assess the effectiveness of maggot debridement therapy (MDT) with the sterile larvae of Lucilia cuprina (a tropical blowfly maggot) for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. Literature thus far has only reported results with the temperate maggot, Lucilia sericata. This study documents outcome in diabetic foot wounds treated with maggot debridement versus those treated by conventional debridement alone. In this series of 29 patients treated with MDT, 14 wounds were healed, 11 were unhealed and 4 were classified under others. The control group treated by conventional debridement had 30 patients of which 18 wounds were healed, 11 unhealed and 1 classified under others. There was no significant difference in outcome between the two groups. The conclusion that can be made from this study is that MDT with L. cuprina is as effective as conventional debridement in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. It would be a feasible alternative to those at high risk for surgery or for those who refuse surgery.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Debridement; Diabetic Foot; Diptera; Humans; Larva; Malaysia; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; Wound Healing

Lower limb amputation (LLA) is a common complication of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), which can lead to a higher 5-year mortality rate compared to all cancers combined. This study aimed to determine the prognostic factors of LLA among DFU patients in Kelantan from 2014 to 2018. A population-based study was conducted using secondary data obtained from the National Diabetic Registry (NDR). There were 362 cases that fulfilled the study criteria and were further analysed. The prognostic factors were determined by Multiple Cox Proportional Hazards Regression. There were 66 (18.2%) DFU patients who underwent LLA in this study, while 296 (81.8%) were censored. The results revealed that the factor leading to a higher risk of LLA was abnormal HDL-cholesterol levels (Adj. HR 2.18; 95% CI: 1.21, 3.92). Factors that led to a lower risk of LLA include DFU in patients aged 60 or more (Adj. HR 0.48; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.89) and obesity (Adj. HR 0.45; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.89). In conclusion, our model showed that abnormal HDL cholesterol was associated with a 2 times higher risk of LLA when adjusted for age and BMI. Any paradoxical phenomena should be addressed carefully to avoid wrong clinical decision making that can harm the patient.

Topics: Amputation, Surgical; Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetic Foot; Humans; Lower Extremity; Malaysia; Prognosis; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors

Diabetic foot infection is often associated with high morbidity, disability and poor quality of life. This study focuses on the demography, the number of repetitive surgery and length of stay in hospital of patients with diabetic foot infection.. This is a retrospective observational study. Patients who were admitted to the Orthopaedic ward of Hospital Segamat (HS), Johor, Malaysia from January 2016 to December 2018 and required surgical intervention were included in the study. Data was collected from the computer system of HS and medical notes of patients.. 35.6% of the total orthopaedic emergency surgeries performed were for patients with diabetic foot infection, 25% of the surgical procedures performed were major amputations of lower limb and 40% of the patients with diabetic foot infection required more than one surgical operation.. The demographics of the patients is consistent with the demographics of Malaysia where majority of them are Malays followed by Chinese, Indians and others. Despite being only 10% of total admission to the department, this group of patients contributed to 35.6% of the total emergency surgeries performed. The amputation rate in the centre is comparable to the other local studies. The average length of stay in hospital was found to be shorter compared to overseas due to different rehabilitation protocols.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Diabetic Foot; Female; Humans; Length of Stay; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Reoperation; Retrospective Studies; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Tertiary Care Centers; Young Adult

Nurses play a vital role in the care and prevention of ulcers in patients with diabetic foot. Patient education, prevention of ulcers and rehabilitation are some of the vital aspects that nurses provide on a daily basis. Thus, good knowledge and attitude of nurses towards diabetic foot ulcers and its care will ensure better patient care.. The aim is to study the level of knowledge and attitude of nurses towards diabetic foot ulcers and its care in Hospital Segamat, Malaysia.. A validated questionnaire was used between February 2019 to May 2019 covering area such as demography, predisposing factors of ulcer formation, characteristics of ulcers, complications of ulcers, and attitude towards diabetic foot care.. A total of 101 nurses took part and 57% of the participants scored poorly in the knowledge section of the questionnaire. In all 72% had scored poorly when asked regarding complications of diabetic foot ulcers; 49.5% of the nurses had positive attitude towards diabetic foot care; and 79.3% thought that care for diabetic foot ulcer is timeconsuming. Majority of them think that their colleagues are the main source of information. All demographic variables were deemed to be confounders with the knowledge and attitude of nurses towards diabetic foot ulcers and its care.. Nurses in this centre had poor knowledge towards diabetic foot ulcers and its care. None of the variable studied were correlated with the level know knowledge. Good or poor knowledge of nurses does not correspond equally to good or poor attitude towards diabetic foot ulcers care. More frequent formal training of diabetic foot care would be needed to ensure better knowledge.

Topics: Clinical Competence; Diabetic Foot; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Malaysia; Nursing Staff; Secondary Care Centers; Surveys and Questionnaires

Diabetic foot infection, a complication that is associated with lower-limb amputation, incurs a huge economic burden to the hospital and health care system of Malaysia. The bacteriological profile of pathogens in diabetic foot infections in Malaysia has been sparsely studied. We investigated the microbiology of diabetic foot infections in patients admitted to the district hospitals on the east coast of Malaysia.. A retrospective analysis was conducted in three district hospitals (Hospital Kuala Lipis, Hospital Bentong and Hospital Raub) in Malaysia from 1st of January 2016 to 31st December 2016. The clinical specimens were cultured using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Antibiotic sensitivity testing to different antibiotics was carried out using the disc diffusion method.. A total of 188 pathogens were isolated from 173 patients, with an average of 1.09 pathogens per lesion. Majority of the pathogens isolated were gram negative pathogens (73.4%). The most commonly isolated pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus (17.5%). This was followed by Klebsiella spp. (17%), Pseudomonas spp. (15.4%) and Proteus spp. (13.8%). Gram positive pathogens were sensitive to most of the antibiotics tested except penicillin and fusidic acid. Gram negative pathogens were sensitive to all antibiotics tested except ampicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. Amikacin provide coverage for all gram negative pathogens in DFI.. For the management of patient with infection in diabetic foot, the choice of antibiotic therapy depends on the sensitivity of the pathogens, the severity of the infection, the patient's allergies history, toxicity and excretion of the antibiotics.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Asia, Southeastern; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Diabetic Foot; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hospitals, District; Humans; Incidence; Malaysia; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Young Adult

The primary aim was to determine the productivity increase using digital imagery for better documentation and analysis. A case series was done in a specialised care centre with patients managed with advanced dressings and using state-of-the-art smartphone technology for documentation to save costs and time.. Wounds were cleansed and debrided before using the application to photograph, document, measure and analyse the wounds. The smartphone app was oriented parallel to the plane of the wound, where possible, to obtain accurate measurements. A longitudinal study report was generated for each wound and showed the progress of the wound healing until the wound was closed.. A sample size of 60 patients consisting of wounds from different locations, and a total of 203 measurements and analyses were conducted over a period of seven months. The wound monitoring app proved to be effective for wound monitoring and required less than two hours' training. A report summary of wounds recorded could also be generated automatically through the dashboard. All 60 patients' cases were automatically recorded, measured and presented into reports for use in clinical analysis. There was a significant time savings (27 hours per day for a specialised care centre with 10 nurses) increase over manual wound documentation and measuring methods.. The app provided a non-contact, easy to use, reliable and accurate smart wound management solution for clinicians and physicians to track wound healing in patients. The app could also be used by patients and caregivers for home monitoring of their wounds.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Diabetic Foot; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Skin Ulcer; Smartphone; Telemedicine; Wound Healing

A pilot self-efficacy education programme was conducted to assess the feasibility, acceptability and potential impact of the self-efficacy education programme on improving foot self-care behaviour among older patients with diabetes in a public long-term care institution.. A prequasi-experimental and postquasi-experimental study was conducted in a public long-term care institution in Selangor, Malaysia. Patients with diabetes aged 60 years and above who fulfilled the selection criteria were invited to participate in this programme. Four self-efficacy information sources; performance accomplishments, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion and physiological information were translated into programme interventions. The programme consisted of four visits over a 12-week period. The first visit included screening and baseline assessment and the second visit involved 30 min of group seminar presentation. The third and fourth visits entailed a 20-min one-to-one follow-up discussion and evaluation. A series of visits to the respondents was conducted throughout the programme. The primary outcome was foot self-care behaviour. Foot self-efficacy (efficacy-expectation), foot care outcome expectation, knowledge of foot care, quality of life, fasting blood glucose and foot condition were secondary outcomes. Data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics (McNemar's test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test) using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences V.20.0.. Fifty-two residents were recruited but only 31 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis at baseline and at 12 weeks postintervention. The acceptability rate was moderately high. At postintervention, foot self-care behaviour (p<0.001), foot self-efficacy (efficacy-expectation), (p<0.001), foot care outcome expectation (p<0.001), knowledge of foot care (p<0.001), quality of life (physical symptoms) (p=0.003), fasting blood glucose (p=0.010), foot hygiene (p=0.030) and anhydrosis (p=0.020) showed significant improvements.. Findings from this pilot study would facilitate the planning of a larger study among the older population with diabetes living in long-term care institutions.. ACTRN12616000210471; Pre-results.

Topics: Aged; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diabetic Foot; Feasibility Studies; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Hygiene; Malaysia; Male; Patient Education as Topic; Pilot Projects; Quality of Life; Self Care; Self Efficacy

This study aimed to determine the risk factors of diabetic Charcot arthropathy of the foot among diabetic patients with and without foot problems.. This was a case-control study involving diabetic patients attending the Diabetic Foot Care and Wound Management Clinic at University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from June 2010 to June 2011. Data on sociodemographic profiles, foot factors and diabetes characteristics was collected and analysed.. A total of 48 diabetic patients with Charcot arthropathy of the foot were identified. Data from these 48 patients was compared with those of 52 diabetic patients without foot problems. Up to 83.3% of patients with diabetic Charcot arthropathy presented with unilateral Charcot foot, most commonly located at the midfoot (45.8%). Patients with a history of foot problems, including foot ulcer, amputation, surgery or a combination of problems, had the highest (26-time) likelihood of developing Charcot arthropathy (odds ratio 26.4; 95% confidence interval 6.4-109.6). Other significant risk factors included age below 60 years, more than ten years' duration of diabetes mellitus and the presence of nephropathy.. A history of prior diabetic foot problems is the greatest risk factor for developing diabetic Charcot arthropathy, compared with other risk factors such as diabetes characteristics and sociodemographic profiles. Preventive management of diabetic foot problems in the primary care setting and multidisciplinary care are of paramount importance, especially among chronic diabetic patients.

Topics: Arthropathy, Neurogenic; Diabetic Foot; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Incidence; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Tertiary Care Centers

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common cause of amputations in Malaysia. This study aimed to identify the predictive factors for major lower limb amputation among patients with type 2 DM (T2DM) who were admitted to a hospital, in order to reduce its likelihood.. This cross-sectional study involved 218 patients with T2DM who were admitted to Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan, Malaysia, for diabetic foot problems from June 2011 to July 2012. A form was developed to document the patients' profiles, comorbidities, complications, investigations, treatment and clinical outcomes. The predictors for major lower limb amputations were determined using univariate and stepwise logistic regression analysis.. A total of 31 patients underwent major lower limb amputations (25 transtibial, 6 transfemoral). The following factors were found to be associated with the incidence of major lower limb amputations: T2DM duration ≥ 10 years, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, presentation with gangrene, diabetic foot conditions of Wagner grade 4 or 5, and necrotising fasciitis. Patients who underwent major amputations had significantly lower haemoglobin and albumin levels, and higher total white blood cell counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, and C-reactive protein, urea and creatinine levels. However, only T2DM duration ≥ 10 years, positive bacterial culture and albumin levels were significant on stepwise logistic regression analysis.. T2DM duration ≥ 10 years, positive bacterial culture and low albumin levels were found to be significant predictive factors for major lower limb amputation among patients with T2DM admitted for diabetic foot problems.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Amputation, Surgical; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diabetic Foot; Female; Humans; Incidence; Lower Extremity; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Risk Factors

Routine use of selective media improves diagnosis of Burkholderia pseudomallei, but resources may be limited in endemic developing countries. To maximise yield in the relatively low-prevalence setting of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, B. pseudomallei selective agar and broth were compared with routine media for 154 respiratory specimens from patients with community-acquired disease. Selective media detected three additional culture-positive specimens and one additional melioidosis patient, at a consumables cost of US$75. Burkholderia pseudomallei was not isolated from 74 diabetic foot ulcer samples. Following careful local evaluation, focused use of selective media may be cost-effective.

Topics: Agar; Bacteriological Techniques; Burkholderia pseudomallei; Culture Media; Diabetic Foot; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Melioidosis

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of foot problems on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with diabetes in Malaysia. Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire was used to assess the HRQoL of 140 diabetic patients with foot problems attending outpatient diabetic foot clinic in a tertiary hospital, University Malaya Medical Centre. Their HRQoL were compared with 134 diabetic patients without foot problems attending the same clinic. The median score of all the eight SF-36 domains differed significantly between the two groups, where patients with foot problems having statistically significant lower scores. The two domains that were most severely compromised were components of the physical health: Physical Functioning and Role Physical domains. The SF-36 scale scores in diabetic patients with foot problems were also lower than those of the SF-36 norms for the Malaysian population. In conclusion, the results showed that diabetic foot problems negatively affect the patients' HRQoL in both physical and mental health aspects based on the SF-36.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Case-Control Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetic Foot; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Quality of Life

Topics: Databases as Topic; Diabetic Foot; Hand; Humans; Malaysia; Prevalence; Registries

Diabetes mellitus is a progressive disease with chronic complications. Foot infections are a major complication of diabetes and eventually lead to development of gangrene and lower extremity amputation. The microbiological characteristics of diabetic foot infections have not been extensively studied in Malaysia. This study investigated the microbiology of diabetic foot infections and their resistance to antibiotics in patients with diabetic foot infections treated at University of Malaya Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.. A retrospective analysis was conducted of clinical specimens taken from patients with diabetic foot infections over a 12-month period from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. A total of 194 patients with positive clinical specimens were identified. The clinical specimens were cultured using standard aerobic and anaerobic microbiological techniques. Antibiotic sensitivity testing to different antimicrobial agents was carried out using the disk diffusion method.. 287 pathogens were isolated from 194 patients, an average of 1.47 organisms per lesion. The most frequently isolated pathogens were Gram-negative bacteria (52%), including Proteus spp. (28%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (25%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (15%) and Escherichia coli (9%). Gram-positive bacteria accounted for 45% of all bacterial isolates. Staphylococcus aureus was predominant (44%) among Gram-positive bacteria, followed by Group B streptococci (25%) and Enterococcus spp. (9%). Antimicrobial susceptibility results showed that Gram-negative bacterial isolates were sensitive to imipenem and amikacin while vancomycin showed good activity against Gram-positive bacteria.. The antibiogram results of this study suggest that pathogens remain sensitive to a number of widely used agents. Imipenem was equally effective against Gram-negative bacilli and Gram-positive cocci.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Infections; Diabetes Complications; Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetic Foot; Female; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Gram-Positive Bacteria; Hospitals, Teaching; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies

Many conditions, including benign and malignant tumours, peripheral vascular diseases and open fracture grade 3C, have been successfully treated with limb sparing procedures. However, the same could not be said for treatment of limb infection, especially late stage diabetic foot complications.. This is a retrospective review of patients who underwent operations at our hospital from July 2003 to June 2005. All patients who underwent various types of limbs amputations were included. The cohort was divided according to the diagnosis leading to the amputation and the level of amputation. The number and levels of amputation were then compared with the various causes leading to the amputation.. There were 203 patients who underwent amputation during the period of study. 135 (66.5 percent) of the patients were diabetic and amputations performed were related to diabetic foot conditions. 68 (33.5 percent) patients were not known to have diabetes mellitus. Among nondiabetic patients, 54 (26.6 percent) amputations were due to trauma, 11 (5.4 percent) were related to musculoskeletal tumours and 3 (1.5 percent) were due to peripheral vascular disease. Among diabetic patients, 23 (17 percent) patients underwent above knee amputation, 44 (33 percent) patients underwent below knee amputation, and 68 (50 percent) patients underwent local foot amputation. 80 of 135 (59.3 percent) patients, who underwent amputation due to diabetic complications, were less than 60 years old.. Good diabetic control and detection of early diabetic foot complications will reduce the number of patients undergoing limb amputation as well as the number of amputees. Since the incidence of lower limb amputation is due mainly to poor diabetic control, it is important to protect this group of patients from a probable avoidable amputation.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Amputation, Surgical; Child; Child, Preschool; Diabetic Foot; Female; Humans; Leg; Leg Injuries; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Peripheral Vascular Diseases; Retrospective Studies

Patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of lower limb infection and gangrene. In Malaysia, they frequently present late and are often in septic shock with multi-organ dysfunction. We report on two patients who presented for lower limb amputation in a desperate attempt to control sepsis and save their lives. Both patients were classified as ASA 5. Both patients had successfully undergone surgery under low dose unilateral spinal anaesthesia. The anaesthetic management of these critically ill patients in view of limited resources is discussed.

Topics: Acute Disease; Amputation, Surgical; Anesthesia, Spinal; Diabetes Complications; Diabetic Foot; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Sepsis