GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE IN DIABETIC FOOT PATIENTS

ABSTRACT Introduction Diabetic foot is a severe complication of diabetes mellitus that can cause many amputations. Objectives To evaluate the association between glycemic control and peripheral arterial disease in patients with diabetic foot. Materials and Methods An analytical cross-sectional study was performed on patients diagnosed with diabetic foot with more than ten years of evolution of diabetes mellitus who were attended in the diabetic foot outpatient clinic of the Guillermo Almenara National Hospital between June 2015 and February 2017. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) and ankle brachial index (ABI) were used to diagnose glycemic control and peripheral arterial disease, respectively. Generalized poisson log linear regression model was used to calculate the crude (cPR) and adjusted (aPR) prevalence ratios, with 95% confidence intervals, and a significance level of p < 0.05. Results 226 patients were included in the study, finding 23% (n=52) with good glycemic control, and 44.7% (n=101) with peripheral arterial disease. The adjusted model found statistically significant associations for glycemic control, age, and sedentary lifestyle with peripheral arterial disease. Compared with patients with good glycemic control, those with poor glycemic control had a 34% higher probability to present peripheral arterial disease (aPR: 1.34, 95%CI: 1.01-1.79, p=0.045). Conclusions The prevalence of good glycemic control in the population with diabetic foot is low. Poor glycemic control was found to be independently associated with the presence of peripheral arterial disease.