Every year in our country, 2500 amputations of the lower extremities are performed due to complications of diabetes mellitus.

Of these, 50% are large, i.e. above the knee or below the knee, while smaller amputations are also performed, such as, for example. one finger.

Today, 6-8% of all adults worldwide have type 2 diabetes and this percentage is estimated to increase to 10% in the next 10-15 years. 50% of diabetic patients are not diagnosed, and when they are diagnosed, they are already in the complication phase. In addition, 30% of diabetic patients will experience some tissue damage at some point, i.e. they will develop diabetic foot syndrome. Diabetic foot and, as a result, diabetic foot syndrome is one of the most dangerous complications of diabetes mellitus and the most common reason for hospitalization in hospitals and nursing departments. The key to treatment is prevention.

Kyriakos Ktenidis, Professor of Vascular Surgery at AUTH, pointed this out when speaking to APE-MPE on the sidelines of a public event on the prevention and treatment of diabetic foot syndrome, which was held as part of the two-day scientific event Vascular Days 2023.

What is diabetic foot syndrome?

“There is a syndrome of diabetic foot, there is also a diabetic foot. By definition, they are two different things. Diabetic foot refers to any functional anatomical disorder in the foot of a diabetic, in which the layman cannot see anything macroscopically.

But when symptoms such as a wound or callus, bone transformation or deformation appear on the foot, then this is a more neglected condition and we are talking about diabetic foot syndrome, that is, something more complex. These are innate conditions.

What we need to know is that diabetic foot syndrome is more complex and difficult to treat. It is good to catch the patient in the diabetic foot phase, and not the syndrome, which is a more complex nosological condition. Diabetic foot and, as a result, diabetic foot syndrome is one of the most dangerous events in the life of diabetics and the most common reason for admission to hospitals and nursing units. In Greece, 2,500 amputations are performed annually. Of these, 50% are large, i.e. above or below the knee, there is the removal of fingers, there may be small amputations. Don’t let the number scare us. We know that 30% of people with diabetes will develop some kind of tissue damage at some point, that is, they will develop diabetic foot syndrome. And what is the key? The main thing is prevention,” said Mr. Ktenidis.

What to do for prevention

For oral administration, as mentioned by Mr. Ktenidis, a diabetic patient should regulate his sugar and be examined by a diabetologist at least once a year. He should also have regular physical activity every day, take care of his legs, but not neglect other organs.

“Diabetes is an insidious disease that does not cause pain, but slowly damages the eyes, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, skin, feet, and so on. This is the most common cause of blindness in patients. In 50% of patients, diabetes mellitus is not diagnosed and is diagnosed in the complication phase. There is a gap in patient information, so in the context of the conference we are organizing, we are focusing on patient information. Unfortunately, the incidence of diabetes is on the rise. While today 6-8% of the adult population as a whole has diabetes, it is estimated that in 10-15 years it will be 10%, and this is mainly due to our lifestyle. This is why we say that those who are obese should start the screening process at age 45. Also, those with a family history should be tested. They should not wait for symptoms to appear, which often appear too late in type 2 diabetes in adults. Those at high risk should be tested every six months for the first year and then annually thereafter. And they should not only control diabetes, because the onset of diabetes is associated with at least three other major risk factors that are important to the human body. They should be checked by a cardiologist, nephrologist and angiologist or vascular surgeon,” said Mr. Ktenidis.

Source: RES-IPE