Diabetic Foot Risk Factors & level in Diabetes People: A Cross-Sectional Study

Determining diabetic foot risk levels and risk factors and treating foot problems is one of the main components of the prevention of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). This study aimed to determine diabetic foot risk levels and risk factors in diabetic people.

This descriptive cross-sectional study included 278 participants during September 2020 to March 2021. The patients' general characteristics, peripheral sensory loss (10 g-Semmes-Weinstein monofilament), foot skin temperature (palpation method) and vascular evaluation (pedal pulses) were examined.

Among 278 patients, 83 cases had DFU. Of those without DFU, 33.3% had risk level “0”, 35.4% had risk level “1”, 23.6% had risk level “2” and 7.7% had risk level “3”. In the regression analysis, male gender [OR= 0.74, 95% CI (0.014-0.338), P= 0.002], education (literate) [OR= 0.38, 95% CI (0.002-0.630), P= 0.022], foot examination by health professional [OR= 0.013, 95% CI (0.001-0.183), P= 0.001], foot deformity [OR= 0.170, 95% CI (0.042-0.679), P< 0.001], foot skin temperature (cold) [OR= 0.003, 95% CI (0.000–0.026), P< 0.001], and pedal pulse [OR= 8.146, 95% CI (1.505-44.081), P< 0.015] were found to have a high effect on diabetic foot development.

The annual DFU rate is 29.8%. Independent risk factors of DFU were gender, education, previous history foot examination, foot skin temperature, pedal pulse and foot deformity. These findings provide support for a multifactorial etiology for DFU.