Objective: To evaluate the influence of regular chiropodist care on the recurrence rate of diabetic foot ulcers within 1 year.
Research design and methods: Ninety-one diabetic outpatients with healed foot ulcers (age 65 +/- 11 years, 40 women and 51 men, diabetes type 1 (n = 6) or 2 (n = 85), BMI 28.5 +/- 4.4, diabetes duration 16 +/- 11 years, HbA(1c) 8.4 +/- 1.6%) were randomized to a group that received monthly remunerated routine chiropodist care (n = 47) or a control group (n = 44).
Results: Within a median follow-up of 386 days, ulceration recurred in 18 patients in the chiropodist group and 25 patients in the control group (hazard ratio [HR] 0.60; 95% CI, 0.32, 1.08; P = 0.09). Analysis of ulceration per foot demonstrated a significant reduction (20 vs. 32 ulcerations; Cox relative risk [Cox RR] 0.52; 95% CI, 0.30, 0.93; P = 0.03) in favor of chiropodist care. Per protocol, analysis of patients who actually underwent chiropodist foot care on a regular basis also indicates the beneficial influence of chiropodist care with ulceration in 13 vs. 30 patients (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.30-1.01; P = 0.05) and in 15 vs. 37 feet (Cox RR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.24-0.90; P = 0.02) for the intervention and control groups, respectively. Minor amputation was required in two patients in the intervention group and one patient in the control group. Four patients in the control group and two patients in the intervention group died during the trial.
Conclusions: These data suggest that secondary preventive measures by a chiropodist may reduce recurrence of foot ulcers in diabetic patients.