Frequency Of Diabetes Mellitus Associated With Diabetic Foot Ulcer among People Presented To Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar

Abstract

Background: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a severe complication associated with diabetes mellitus, posing significant challenges to patients' well-being and healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors causing DFU development and to investigate the gender-specific prevalence of DFU among diabetes mellitus patients. Comorbidities related to DFU were also investigated to better understand and treat this illness. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at LRH and included 100 people with DFU and diabetes mellitus. The study included participants from a range of age categories, divided into three groups: Group 1 (age 30-45 years, n = 31, 29.24%), Group 2 (age 46-62 years, n = 35, 33.02%), and Group 3 (age 63-85 years, n = 40, 37.74%). The participants' gender distribution was evaluated, with 58 female individuals (54.72%) and 48 male subjects (45.28%) included. Results: The data showed that older people with diabetes mellitus had a higher incidence of DFU, and that this incidence increased with age. When compared to their male counterparts, persons with diabetes mellitus who were female had a considerably higher risk of acquiring DFU. Risk factor analysis revealed several factors that affected how individuals developed DFU. The primary contributing causes were determined to be improper foot care behaviors, which included ignoring foot hygiene (27.35%), wearing uncomfortable footwear (51.88%), walking barefoot (33.96%), and failing to adequately dry feet (29.24%). An unbalanced diet (24.52%) and non-adherence to recommended diabetes drugs (12.26%) were also linked to the development of DFU. Additionally, comorbidity study of people with diabetes mellitus and DFU showed a considerable burden of other medical disorders. The most common comorbidities were gangrene (56.60%), hypertension (54.71%), smoking addiction (28.30%), obesity (45.28%), and vascular disease (36.79%). Conclusion: This study emphasizes the significance of considering a patient's age and gender when estimating their risk of developing DFU if they have diabetes mellitus. It emphasizes the necessity of specialized programs to encourage good foot hygiene habits and adherence to diabetic medications. A comprehensive approach to patient management that addresses both diabetes control and other related health issues is required given the correlation of DFU with comorbidities. These results offer useful information for healthcare professionals to improve preventive strategies and improve the management of DFU in diabetic patients.