Impact of revascularization and factors associated with limb salvage in patients with diabetic foot. / Impacto de la revascularización y factores asociados en el salvamento de la extremidad en pacientes con pie diabético.

Introduction: Diabetic foot is a common cause of hospitalization. Objective: To examine the impact of revascularization on lower limb salvage. Method: Retrospective study of diabetic patients with foot ulcers. The extent of tissue loss was assessed according to the PEDIS and Wagner classifications, and revascularization indications and techniques were evaluated. Factors involved with major amputation and limb salvage were assessed with Fisher's and chi-square tests. Results: A total of 307 patients with a mean age of 61 years were included in the study; 198 (64%) were males; 53 (17%) underwent limb revascularization, 26 (8%) with endovascular techniques and 27 (9%) with open surgery; 27 belonged to PEDIS grade 3 (51%) and 21 (41%) to Wagner's classification grade 4; 52% of revascularized patients required major amputation versus 25% of those without revascularization. Comorbidities, demographic variables, complications and mortality showed no differences when patients who required major amputation were compared with those who didn't. Conclusion: Despite revascularization, the limb was preserved in less than 50% of patients. Early referral to vascular surgery and appropriate patient-selection criteria might increase limb salvage.

Introducción: El pie diabético es causa frecuente de hospitalización. Objetivo: Examinar el impacto de la revascularización en la preservación de los miembros inferiores. Método: Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes diabéticos con úlceras en el pie. Se evaluó extensión del tejido perdido conforme las clasificaciones PEDIS y de Wagner, así como indicaciones y técnicas de revascularización. Los factores involucrados en la amputación mayor y el salvamento de la extremidad fueron evaluados por pruebas Fisher y chi cuadrado. Resultados: Fueron estudiados 307 pacientes con edad media de 61 años; 198 (64 %) eran hombres; 53 (17 %) fueron sometidos a revascularización de la extremidad, 26 (8 %) con técnicas endovasculares y 27 (9 %) por cirugía abierta; 27 categorizaron en el grado 3 de la clasificación PEDIS (51 %) y 21 (41 %) en el 4 de Wagner; 52 % de los pacientes revascularizados necesitó amputación mayor versus 25 % de los no revascularizados. Las comorbilidades, variables demográficas, complicaciones y mortalidad no mostraron diferencias cuando se compararon quienes necesitaron una amputación mayor y los que no. Conclusión: Menos de 50 % de los pacientes salvó la extremidad a pesar de la revascularización. La referencia temprana a cirugía vascular y los criterios de selección apropiados podrían incrementar el salvamento de extremidades.

Prevalence and variables associated with an abnormal ankle-brachial index among patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Objectives The longer survival of patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and the introduction of the highly active antiretroviral therapy have increased the number of chronic conditions; among these, cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study is to determine patient, disease, and factors associated with peripheral arterial disease in a population of patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Methods A prospective nested case-control study of a cohort of patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was conducted in a tertiary medical center in Mexico City. A sample size of 206 patients was calculated. Medical history, relevant laboratory data, peripheral arterial exam, and screening ankle-brachial index tests were obtained. Results The prevalence of abnormal ankle-brachial indexes was 20% (42 patients). Patient's mean age was 44 years ±13. The majority (98.5%) were actively receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy; active smoking was reported in 55 (27%), arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus were found in 24 (12%) and 22 (11%) patients. Median time from the human immunodeficiency virus diagnosis was eight years (Interquartile range ±11); the mean CD4 count was 481, with a mean viral load of 13,557 copies (SD ± 69025.27) and 1889.18 (SD ± 9052.77) for patients with normal and abnormal ankle-brachial index and a median of 40 (IQ ± 2). Viral load ( p = 0.04) and number of years with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome ( p = 0.04) were significantly associated with abnormal ankle-brachial indexes. Conclusions Abnormal ankle-brachial index seems to be more frequent in Mexican patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome when compared with the general population at the same age. The most important factors associated with arterial disease were the viral load and the number of years with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02264509.

Impact of the bacteriology of diabetic foot ulcers in limb loss.

Infections in feet of patients with diabetes mellitus is common, complex and costly. The aim of this study to investigate the isolated microorganisms in infected diabetic foot ulcers, and the impact of these infectious agents in limb loss in a tertiary medical center in Mexico City. We conducted a retrospective review in diabetic patients with infected foot ulcers from 1997 to 2014. Diabetic foot was defined according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the bacteriology of wound cultures and the impact of microorganisms in limb loss (major amputation) was studied. Patient's demographics, comorbidities, wound characteristics, and other factors associated in clinical outcomes were determined. A total of 165 subjects with soft tissue infections and/or osteomyelitis and positive cultures were included. One hundred and five (64%) were male, with a mean age of 60 year old +/- 15. One hundred fifty-nine (96%) had Type 2 diabetes mellitus, 68 (41%) history of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and 97 (59%) patients had osteomyelitis. In 89 patients (54%), cultures were polymicrobial and one single organism was isolated in 76 cultures (46%). During the follow up, 96 (58%) patients preserved their limbs and 69 (42%) required major amputation (above or below knee). Sixty percent of patients that suffered from limb loss had polymicrobial culture (p = 0.13). Growth of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecium (p = 0.03) and E. coli and Morganella morgagnii (p = 0.03) was associated to limb loss. Among monomicrobial cultures, infections associated with Proteous mirabilis had higher rate of progression to limb loss (p = 0.03). PAD was associated to limb loss (p = 0.001). Management of diabetic foot requires a multimodality approach. In this study, in patients that received appropriate antibiotic therapy and optimal surgical management, we observed that history of PAD, polymicrobial and isolated P. mirabilis infections were variables associated with higher rate of limb loss.

Comparison of retrocarotid and caudocranial dissection techniques for the surgical treatment of carotid body tumors.

OBJECTIVE: Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare neoplasms. Complete surgical resection is the curative therapy and is considered the therapeutic gold standard. This study compared the retrocarotid dissection (RCD) technique with the standard caudocranial dissection (SCCD) technique in operative time, blood loss, vascular or nerve injuries, and hospital stay. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients with CBTs who underwent surgical treatment with the RCD technique at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador Zubirán" in Mexico City from July 2007 to January 2013. This cohort was compared with an historical cohort treated with standard SCCD from 1995 to 2007 at the same institution. RESULTS: A total of 68 procedures (41 SCCD, 27 RCD) were performed in 68 patients (91% women) with a mean age of 54 years (standard deviation [SD], 15 years). According to the Shamblin classification, 6 CBTs were type I (9%), 35 were type II (51%), and 27 were type III (40%). Comparative analysis identified mean blood loss of 480 mL (SD, 380 mL) in the RCD group and 690 mL (SD, 680 mL) for the SCCD cohort (P < .31). The mean procedural time was 172 minutes (SD, 60 minutes) for the RCD group and 260 minutes (SD, 100 minutes) for the SCCD group (P < .001). Hospital stay was significantly shorter for the RCD group with an average of 5 days (SD, 2 days) compared with 9 days (SD, 6 days) for the SCCD cohort (P < .0001). Cranial nerve deficit occurred in 17 patients, consisting of six transient nerve palsies in the RCD cohort and 11 in the SCCD group. Postoperative cerebrovascular accidents occurred in three patients in the SCCD cohort, with none observed in the RCD group. This translates into a rate of 22% of postoperative neurologic complications for the RCD cohort and 34% in the SCCD group (P < .08). Significant differences in intraoperative vascular injuries were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: The RCD technique is a safe and viable option for the surgical resection of CBTs. In our experience, this approach was associated with a significant decrease in procedural time and hospital stay.