Management of infected diabetic wound: a scoping review of guidelines.

Background: Various international guidelines and recommendations are available for management of diabetic foot infections. We present a review of the guidelines and recommendations for management of these infections. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted through MEDLINE, CENTRAL, EMBASE, LILACS, DARE, and national health bodies. Based on the review of fifteen documents, we present details on the importance of suspecting and diagnosing skin, superficial infections, and bone infections in diabetics. Results: The guidelines recommend classifying the infections based on severity to guide the treatment. While antibiotics have shown the best results, other treatments like hyperbaric oxygen therapy and negative wound pressure have been debated. It is suggested that a team of specialists should be in-charge of managing the infected wounds. Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) 2012 guidelines are widely followed world-over. All guidelines and reviews have consistent suggestions on the assessment of the severity of infection, diagnosis, start, selection, and duration of antibiotic therapy. Conclusions: It is reasonable to conclude that the IDSA 2012 guidelines are commonly followed across the world. There is a consensus among the Australian guidelines, Canadian guidelines, IDSA 2012, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 2015, and International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) 2016 guidelines on the management of infected wounds for patients with diabetes mellitus.

Clinical Effectiveness of Telemedicine in Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis of 42 Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background:Telemedicine is instrumental in improving diabetes patient care, as well as providing significant cost benefits. This meta-analysis was conducted to compare the effectiveness of telemedicine intervention with usual care in diabetes patients.Methods:Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting a change in HbA1c after usual care and telemedicine intervention were retrieved from electronic databases.Results:Data on 6,170 participants (mean age 13.3 to 71.0 years), with 3,128 randomized to usual care and 3,042 to telemedicine intervention, were retrieved from 42 RCTs. Eight studies used teleconsultation, while 34 used telemonitoring (device based). Nine studies enrolled both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients, 21 focused on type 2 diabetes patients, and 12 on type 1 diabetes patients. The mean reduction in HbA1c was significantly higher in the telemedicine groups (Hedges' g = -0.37, p < 0.001). Type 2 diabetes patients experienced a higher reduction in HbA1c compared to type 1 diabetes patients (Hedges' g = -0.48, p < 0.001 vs. -0.26, p < 0.05; Q = 1935.75, p < 0.0001). Older patients (41-50 years, Hedges' g = -1.82, p < 0.001; >50 years, Hedges' g = -1.05, p < 0.001) benefited more than their younger counterparts (Hedges' g = -0.84, p = 0.07). Telemedicine programs lasting >6 months produced a significantly greater reduction in HbA1c levels (Hedges' g = -2.24 vs. -0.66, p < 0.001).Conclusion:Telemedicine interventions are more effective than usual care in managing diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, older patients and a longer duration of intervention provide superior results.

Antibiotic therapy of diabetic foot infections: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Diabetic foot infection is a common diabetic complication that may end in lower limb amputation if not treated properly. We performed this systematic review to assess the clinical efficacy of different antibiotic regimens, whether systemic or topical, in the treatment of moderate to severe diabetic foot infections. We searched Medline, Web of Science, SCOPUS, Cochrane CENTRAL, and ScienceDirect for randomized controlled trials that evaluated the efficacy of antibiotic regimens in moderate to severe diabetic foot infections. The primary outcome of interest was the clinical efficacy (cure/improvement rates) of the regimens. We included 16 trials (4,158 patients) in this review, from which we extracted 10 comparisons: some trials compared systemic antibiotics to each other, others compared systemic to topical agents, while one study compared the combined topical and systemic agents to systemic antibiotics alone. Qualitative analysis of the findings of these studies showed that: (1) pipracillin/tazobactam was superior to ertapenem in severe infections (clinical resolution rate: 91.5% compared with PIP/TAZ 97.2%, p ≤ 0.04), but had similar efficacy in moderate infections, (2) ertapenem was more effective than tigecycline in moderate to severe infections (absolute difference -5.5, [95% CI -11.0, 0.1]), (3) the adjuvant use of topical agents with systemic antibiotics improved the outcomes, compared with systemic antibiotics alone (p = 0.024), (4) the rates of recurrence and re-ulceration were significantly lower in patients using the amino-penicillin regimen, compared with those using oral/intravenous ofloxacin, and (5) lower rates of complications accompanied the imipenem/cilastatin regimen, compared with the pipracillin/tazobactam regimen (p = 0.13). In conclusion, data from the included studies showed better results for ertapenem when compared with tigecycline; however, it was inferior to pipracillin/tazobactam in severe infections. The adjuvant use of topical agents improves the efficacy of systemic antibiotics in diabetic foot infection.

Cost of diabetic foot in France, Spain, Italy, Germany and United Kingdom: A systematic review.

AIM: Cost estimates for diabetic foot are available for developed countries based on cost data for different years. This study aimed to provide a comparison of the cost of diabetic foot in E5 (France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom) and its characteristics across different conditions. METHODS: PubMed, Central and Embase databases were searched in February 2017 for English language publications. Bibliographies of relevant papers were also searched manually. Reviews and research papers from E5 regions reporting on cost of diabetic foot were included. Reported cost was converted to equivalent 2016 $ for comparison purposes. All the costs presented are mean cost per patient per year in 2016 $. RESULTS: Nine studies were included in the analysis. The total cost of amputation ranged from $ 15,046 in 2001 to $ 38,621 in 2005. The direct cost of amputation ranged from $ 13,842 in 2001 to $ 83,728 during 2005-2009. Indirect cost of amputation was more uniform, ranging from between $ 1,043 to $ 1,442. The direct cost of gangrene ranged from $ 3,352 in 2003 to $ 8,818 in Germany. Although, for the same year, 2003, the cost for Spain was almost double that for Germany. The total cost of an uninfected ulcer was $ 6,174 in 2002, but increased to $ 14,441 in 2005; for an infected ulcer the cost increased from $ 2,637 to $ 2,957. The different countries showed variations in the components used to calculate the cost of diabetic foot. CONCLUSIONS: The E5 incurs a heavy cost from diabetic foot and its complications. There is an unmet need for the identification of cost-cutting strategies, as diabetic foot costs more than major cardiac diseases.

Failure rates of artificial dermis products in treatment of diabetic foot ulcer: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a frequent complication in diabetic patients, occurring in up to 25% of those affected. Among the treatments available to clinicians, the use of bioengineered skin substitutes is an attractive alternative. Artificial dermis functions as a matrix, covering the wound and supporting healing and reconstruction of the lost tissue. This study was aimed at reviewing the use of five regeneration matrices (namely, Integra, Nevelia, Matriderm, Pelnac, and Renoskin) as reported by clinical trials. We searched Medline, Embase, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases for relevant studies. Risk of failure rates was analysed by relative risk ratio method and complete ulcer healing was studied using network meta-analysis. Thirteen studies (12 randomized clinical trials and one cohort study) were eligible for analysis. The network meta-analysis based on a single study for Matriderm and 12 studies for other products showed that Matriderm was statistically inferior in achieving complete ulcer healing, as compared to all other products combined. In the second phase analysis, which was limited to three studies using artificial dermis products, there was a 57% reduction in the risk of reepithelialization failure for DFU patients who used Matriderm or Pelnac, compared to those who used Pelnac with basic fibroblast growth factor spray or skin grafting. The data showed an overall low failure rate suggesting that these bioengineered skin products provide a suitable support and microenvironment for healing of DFUs with low ulcer recurrence rates. This systematic review with meta-analysis highlights the pressing need for more studies investigating the safety, efficacy and failure rates of regeneration matrices in the treatment of DFUs.

[High prevalence of proteinuric nephropathy screened in patients with type 2 diabetes consulting community-based general practitioners in French overseas departments and territories. ALBUM study]. / Prévalence elevée de la protéinurie dépistée en médecine générale chez les patients diabétiques de type 2 dans les DOM-TOM. Etude ALBUM.

UNLABELLED: OBJECTIVE, METHOD: Chronic kidney disease is a major public health problem. This observational epidemiological study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of proteinuric nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes consulting a community-based general practitioner in French overseas departments and territories (DOM-TOM). Screening was carried out with reagent strips Albustix for proteinuria and, in case of trace amounts or a negative result, Microalbustix for microalbuminuria. RESULTS: 91 general practitioners participated in the study with 402 evaluable patients (54% female, mean age 60.1 +/- 11.2 years). The duration of diabetes was 8.9 +/- 6.6 years and mean HbA1c was 7.3 +/- 1.4% (52.2% with HbA1c < or = 7%). Screening was positive for 45.7% of the patients: 23.6% positive for proteinuria with Albustix [95% CI: 19.5-27.8] and 22.1% with Microalbustix. CONCLUSION: Screening with reagent strips revealed that nearly half the patients had proteinuria or albuminuria, thus confirming the high prevalence of nephropathy in type 2 diabetes patients living in the Dom-Tom and illustrating the need for frequent renal function screening in type 2 diabetics in general medicine for the prevention of chronic kidney disease.

High blood pressure and obesity: disparities among four French Overseas Territories.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The epidemiological characteristics of hypertension and obesity in French Overseas Territories (FOTs) have never been compared. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey included representative population-based samples of 602, 601, 620 and 605 men and women aged more than 15 years, respectively, from four FOTs of Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, and French Polynesia. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure (BP) at least 140/90 mmHg or the current use of antihypertensive treatment. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension was 29.2% in Guadeloupe, 17.9% in French Guiana, 27.6% in Martinique and 24.5% in French Polynesia. Considering the Guadeloupe population as the reference group, prevalence of hypertension was significantly lower in French Guiana (P < 0.001), even after controlling for age and sex (P = 0.006). Awareness and treatment of hypertension were similar in French Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe (68.8-75.1% and 69.0-73.4%, respectively). Awareness was lower in French Polynesia (50.0%, adjusted P value = 0.04), as was treatment of hypertension (32.4%, adjusted P value = 0.001). Control of hypertension was also lower in French Polynesia (8.8%, adjusted P value = 0.001) compared with the other territories (29.7-31.8%). French Polynesia had the highest prevalence of obesity (33.1%, adjusted P value < 0.001) as compared with the other territories (17.9-22.8%). It had also the largest population attributable fraction of hypertension due to obesity (35.5%) compared with Guadeloupe (13.3%), Martinique (12.3%) and French Guiana (23.6%). CONCLUSION: Wide variations were observed in the prevalence and the management of hypertension between these FOTs, and an especially challenging low control of hypertension was found in French Polynesia. Obesity appears a key target to prevent hypertension, particularly in French Polynesia.