In the past I have posted on the work of Dr. Armstrong and his group regarding diabetic foot ulcerations and their associated mortality (Click here). Adding more fuel to the fire of the association of a diabetic foot ulceration and mortality is recently published work by Dr. David Margolis et. al. in Diabetic Medicine Jan 2016.

This more recent study investigated whether diabetes associated complications explained the relationship between a DFU and death. Looking at a cohort of nearly 21,000 patients in the UK it was found that 42.2% of people with foot ulcers died within 5 years, a very similar rate to that noted by Dr. Armstrong’s work. Taking things a step further, the investigators controlled for major diabetes complications which might influence mortality and the correlation between diabetic foot ulcerations and death remained strong.

The authors doubt the mere presence of a diabetic foot ulceration is in and of itself a serious threat but that at diabetic ulceration should be seen as a major warning sign for mortality and recommend close medical follow-up.

Read more about the study here.

Association of diabetic foot ulcer and death in a population-based cohort from the United Kingdom. J. W. Walsh¹,O. J. Hoffstad¹,M. O. Sullivan² and D. J. Margolis^1,*