ArticlePloS one2017
Incidence and risk factors for developing infection in patients presenting with uninfected diabetic foot ulcers.
Article in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 57 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
57 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Risk Factors for Foot-Related Hospitalisations in Adults With and Without Diabetes: A Systematic Review.Journal of foot and ankle research · 2026Pooled it
- Does the use of DACC-coated dressings improve clinical outcomes for hard to heal wounds: A systematic review.International wound journal · 2024Pooled it
- Australian guideline on management of diabetes-related foot infection: part of the 2021 Australian evidence-based guidelines for diabetes-related foot disease.Journal of foot and ankle research · 2022Guideline
- Is ethnicity an appropriate measure of health care marginalization? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the outcomes of diabetic foot ulceration in Aboriginal populations.Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie · 2021Pooled it
- Diabetes-related foot disease in Australia: a systematic review of the prevalence and incidence of risk factors, disease and amputation in Australian populations.Journal of foot and ankle research · 2021Pooled it
- Economic evaluations considering costs and outcomes of diabetic foot ulcer infections: A systematic review.PloS one · 2020Pooled it
- Diabetic Foot Australia guideline on footwear for people with diabetes.Journal of foot and ankle research · 2018Guideline
- Trial
- Effect on total microbial load and community composition with two vs six-week topical Cadexomer Iodine for treating chronic biofilm infections in diabetic foot ulcers.International wound journal · 2019Trial
- Management and outcomes of people presenting with new diabetes-related foot infections: a prospective observational study from Australia and New Zealand.BMJ open diabetes research & care · 2026Observational
- Spooky action at a distance: neuromodulation, physiologic distress signals, and limb preservation.Burns & trauma · 2026Review
- Association Between the Systemic Inflammatory Response Index and Severe Infection in Patients with Diabetic Foot.Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity : targets and therapy · 2026Article
- Article
- Article
- Advances in Image-Based Diagnosis of Diabetic Foot Ulcers Using Deep Learning and Machine Learning: A Systematic Review.Biomedicines · 2025Review
- Antimicrobial resistance profiles and detection of mecA, blaCTX-M-1, and blaSHV genes in bacteria among diabetic foot ulcer patients from selected referral hospitals in Uganda.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Comparative effectiveness of porcine placental extracellular matrix against other cellular, acellular and matrix-like products in diabetic foot ulcers from the Medicare database.Journal of comparative effectiveness research · 2025Article
- The incidence of and risk factors for hospitalisations and amputations for people with diabetes-related foot ulcers in Queensland, 2011-19: an observational cohort study.The Medical journal of Australia · 2025Observational
- A Clinical Decision Support Tool for the Management of Diabetes-Related Foot Ulcers (DRFUs) Using a Topical Haemoglobin Spray.International wound journal · 2025Review
- Risk factors for diabetic foot ulcer in diabetic patients at the Tehran diabetes clinic: a case-control study.Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThere is a paucity of research on patients presenting with uninfected diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) that go on to develop infection. We aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors for developing infection in a large regional cohort of patients presenting with uninfected DFUs.
methodsWe performed a secondary analysis of data collected from a validated prospective state-wide clinical diabetic foot database in Queensland (Australia). Patients presenting for their first visit with an uninfected DFU to a Diabetic Foot Service in one of thirteen Queensland regions between January 2012 and December 2013 were included. Socio-demographic, medical history, foot disease history, DFU characteristics and treatment variables were captured at the first visit. Patients were followed until their DFU healed, or if their DFU did not heal for 12-months, to determine if they developed a foot infection in that period.
resultsOverall, 853 patients were included; mean(standard deviation) age 62.9(12.8) years, 68.0% male, 90.9% type 2 diabetes, 13.6% indigenous Australians. Foot infection developed in 342 patients for an overall incidence of 40.1%; 32.4% incidence in DFUs healed <3 months, 55.9% in DFUs healed between 3-12 months (p<0.05). Independent risk factors (Odds Ratio (95% confidence interval)) for developing infection were: DFUs healed between 3-12 months (2.3 (1.6-3.3)), deep DFUs (2.2 (1.2-3.9)), peripheral neuropathy (1.8 (1.1-2.9)), previous DFU history (1.7 (1.2-2.4)), foot deformity (1.4 (1.0-2.0)), female gender (1.5 (1.1-2.1)) and years of age (0.98 (0.97-0.99)) (all p<0.05).
conclusionsA considerable proportion of patients presenting with an uninfected DFU will develop an infection prior to healing. To prevent infection clinicians treating patients with uninfected DFUs should be particularly vigilant with those presenting with deep DFUs, previous DFU history, peripheral neuropathy, foot deformity, younger age, female gender and DFUs that have not healed by 3 months after presentation.
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