Abstract
Purpose
The question of surgical versus non-surgical treatment for diabetic foot osteomyelitis remains subject to debate. The aims of this study were to analyse the outcome of conservative treatment (antibiotic treatment and conservative surgery) for diabetic foot osteomyelitis and identify the predictive factors of remission in conservative treatment of diabetic foot osteomyelitis.
Materials and Methods
Seventy-seven patients with diabetic foot osteomyelitis who initially received conservative treatment from January 2004 to July 2013 were identified, and their medical records were reviewed. Diabetic foot osteomyelitis was defined by imaging studies or histological evidence. Remission was defined as the absence of any sign of infection at the initial or contiguous site assessed at least 12 months after the end of treatment. The demographic, clinical, and therapeutic factors were analysed.
Results
The mean age of the patients was 62.7±12.2 years, and 47 patients (61.0%) were male. The median diabetes duration was 15.7±11.2 years and mean HbA1c was 8.7%±2.4%. Forty-eight patients (62.3%) healed with conservative treatment (antibiotic treatment and conservative surgery). Twenty-five patients (32.5%) underwent amputation. In the multivariate analysis, concomitant peripheral artery disease and inadequate antibiotic therapy were associated with failure of conservative treatment.
Conclusion
Antibiotics alone, or with conservative surgery, were successful in treatment of diabetic foot osteomyelitis in 62.3% of the patients. Concomitant peripheral artery disease and inadequate antimicrobial therapy were risk factors for remission in conservatively treated diabetic foot osteomyelitis.
Go to : 

References
1. Jeffcoate WJ, Lipsky BA. Controversies in diagnosing and managing osteomyelitis of the foot in diabetes. Clin Infect Dis. 2004; 39(Suppl 2):S115–22.


2. Balsells M, Viadé J, Millán M, García JR, García-Pascual L, del Pozo C, et al. Prevalence of osteomyelitis in non-healing diabetic foot ulcers: usefulness of radiologic and scintigraphic findings. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 1997; 38:123–7.


3. Newman LG, Waller J, Palestro CJ, Schwartz M, Klein MJ, Hermann G, et al. Unsuspected osteomyelitis in diabetic foot ulcers. Diagnosis and monitoring by leukocyte scanning with indium in 111 oxyquinoline. JAMA. 1991; 266:1246–51.


5. Shanmugam P, Jeya M, Linda Susan S. The bacteriology of diabetic foot ulcers, with a special reference to multidrug resistant strains. J Clin Diagn Res. 2013; 7:441–5.


6. Resnick HE, Carter EA, Lindsay R, Henly SJ, Ness FK, Welty TK, et al. Relation of lower-extremity amputation to all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in American Indians: the Strong Heart Study. Diabetes Care. 2004; 27:1286–93.
7. Tentolouris N, Al-Sabbagh S, Walker MG, Boulton AJ, Jude EB. Mortality in diabetic and nondiabetic patients after amputations performed from 1990 to 1995: a 5-year follow-up study. Diabetes Care. 2004; 27:1598–604.
8. Aragón-Sánchez FJ, Cabrera-Galván JJ, Quintana-Marrero Y, HernándezHerrero MJ, Lázaro-Martínez JL, García-Morales E, et al. Outcomes of surgical treatment of diabetic foot osteomyelitis: a series of 185 patients with histopathological confirmation of bone involvement. Diabetologia. 2008; 51:1962–70.


9. Lázaro-Martínez JL, Aragón-Sánchez J, García-Morales E. Antibiotics versus conservative surgery for treating diabetic foot osteomyelitis: a randomized comparative trial. Diabetes Care. 2014; 37:789–95.


10. Acharya S, Soliman M, Egun A, Rajbhandari SM. Conservative management of diabetic foot osteomyelitis. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2013; 101:e18–20.


11. Senneville E, Lombart A, Beltrand E, Valette M, Legout L, Ca-zaubiel M, et al. Outcome of diabetic foot osteomyelitis treated nonsurgically: a retrospective cohort study. Diabetes Care. 2008; 31:637–42.
12. Lipsky BA, Berendt AR, Cornia PB, Pile JC, Peters EJ, Armstrong DG, et al. 2012 Infectious Diseases Society of America clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic foot infections Clin Infect Dis. 2012; 54:e132–73.
13. Met R, Bipat S, Legemate DA, Reekers JA, Koelemay MJ. Diagnostic performance of computed tomography angiography in peripheral arterial disease: a systematic review and metaanalysis. JAMA. 2009; 301:415–24.
14. Vouillarmet J, Morelec I, Thivolet C. Assessing diabetic foot osteomyelitis remission with white blood cell SPECT/CT imaging. Diabet Med. 2014; 31:1093–9.


15. Eneroth M, Larsson J, Apelqvist J. Deep foot infections in patients with diabetes and foot ulcer: an entity with different characteristics, treatments, and prognosis1 J Diabetes Complications. 1999; 13:254–63.
16. Gibbons GW. Lower extremity bypass in patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Surg Clin North Am. 2003; 83:659–69.


17. Taylor LM Jr, Porter JM. The clinical course of diabetics who require emergent foot surgery because of infection or ischemia. J Vasc Surg. 1987; 6:454–9.


18. Giurini JM, Rosenblum BI. The role of foot surgery in patients with diabetes. Clin Podiatr Med Surg. 1995; 12:119–27.
19. Bamberger DM, Daus GP, Gerding DN. Osteomyelitis in the feet of diabetic patients. Long-term results, prognostic factors, and the role of antimicrobial and surgical therapy. Am J Med. 1987; 83:653–60.
20. Armstrong DG, Harkless LB. Outcomes of preventative care in a diabetic foot specialty clinic. J Foot Ankle Surg. 1998; 37:460–6.


21. Boyko EJ, Ahroni JH, Davignon D, Stensel V, Prigeon RL, Smith DG. Diagnostic utility of the history and physical examination for peripheral vascular disease among patients with diabetes mellitus. J Clin Epidemiol1. 1997; 50:659–68.


22. Apelqvist J, Larsson J, Agardh CD. The importance of peripheral pulses, peripheral oedema and local pain for the outcome of diabetic foot ulcers. Diabet Med. 1990; 7:590–4.


23. Armstrong DG, Liswood PJ, Todd WF. 1995 William J. Stickel Bronze Award. Prevalence of mixed infections in the diabetic pedal wound. A retrospective review of 112 infections. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 1995; 85:533–7.


Go to : 

Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of Study Subjects
Table 2.
Bacteria Isolated from Wound and Bone Cultures
Table 3.
Clinical Characteristics Associated with Remission of Conservative Treatment in Patients with Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis
Characteristic | Failure (n=29) | Remission (n=48) | p-value* |
---|---|---|---|
Age (yr) | 61.2±12.1 | 63.6±12.3 | 0.422 |
Sex (male/female) | 14/15 | 33/15 | 0.094 |
HbA1c (%) | 8.5±2.32 | 8.4±3.0 | 0.884 |
Diabetic duration (yr) | 15.1±16.7 | 18.9±19.2 | 0.389 |
Diabetes with end organ damage | 17 (58.6) | 31 (64.6) | 0.617 |
Insulin user | 18 (62.0) | 27 (56.2) | 0.138 |
Underlying disease | |||
Myocardial infarction | 1 (3.4) | 5 (10.4) | 0.400 |
Congestive heart failure | 3 (10.3) | 7 (14.6) | 0.734 |
Peripheral arterial disease | 21 (72.4) | 16 (33.3) | 0.001 |
Cerebrovascular disease | 3 (10.3) | 8 (16.7) | 0.520 |
Dementia | 0 (0) | 1 (2.1) | <1.000 |
Connective tissue disease | 0 (0) | 1 (2.1) | <1.000 |
Ulcer disease | 0 (0) | 1 (2.1) | <1.000 |
Mild liver disease | 0 (0) | 1 (2.1) | <1.000 |
Any tumor | 1 (3.4) | 4 (8.3) | 0.645 |
Moderate to severe renal disease | 15 (52) | 13 (28.8) | 0.049 |
Moderate to severe liver disease | 1 (3.4) | 1 (2.1) | <1.000 |
Metastatic solid tumor | 0 (0) | 1 (2.1) | <1.000 |
Adjunctive therapy | |||
Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty | 6 (20.1) | 2 (4.1) | 0.047 |
Irrigation and debridement | 25 (86.1) | 37 (76.2) | 0.327 |
Vacuum application | 12 (41.3) | 16 (33.3) | 0.207 |
Identified pathogen | 17 (68) | 39 (75) | 0.795 |
Staphylococcus aureus infection | 7 (24.1) | 9 (18.8) | 0.560 |
Duration of antibiotics therapy (wk) | 7.5±4.2 | 8.9±4.22 | 0.190 |
Inadequate antibiotic therapy | 4 (13.8) | 44 (91.3) | <0.001 |
Infectious diseases department consultation | 22 (75.9) | 38 (79.2) | 0.784 |
Table 4.
Multivariate Analysis with Independent Predictors of Remission of Conservative Treatment in Patients with Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis
Predictor | Failure (n=29) | Remission (n=48) | Total (n=77) | p-value* | p-value† | Odds ratio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Underlying disease | ||||||
Peripheral arterial disease | 21 (72.4) | 16 (33.3) | 37 (48) | 0.001 | 0.006 | 0.229 |
Moderate to severe renal disease | 15 (52) | 13 (28.8) | 28 (32.4) | 0.049 | 0.260 | 0.229 |
Adjunctive therapy | ||||||
Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty | 6 (24) | 2 (3.8) | 8 (10.3) | 0.047 | 0.889 | 1.18 |
Inadequate antibiotic therapy | 13 (52) | 16 (30.7) | 29 (37.6) | <0.001 | <0.001 | 71.42 |