Prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers in newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus patients.

Foot ulcer is one of the most common and dreadest complication of diabetes mellitus.This is also a frequent cause of hospitalisation and disability. Most of the patients with diabetic foot ulcers living in developing countries present to healthcare facilities fairly late with advanced foot ulcers because of poor economic status, inadequate knowledge of self-care, sociocultural reasons and poor and inadequate diabetes healthcare. To determine the prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers amongst the newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus patients (n = 1674) a cross-sectional study was carried out during the period January 2010 to January 2011 in the department of medicine, NRS Medical College, Kolkata. Diabetic foot ulcers were found in 4.54% newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus patients. Neuropathic type of foot ulcer was present in 46.06% of patients (52.5% in male and 38.88% in female). Ischaemic type of foot ulcer was present in 19.74% of patients (22.5% in male and in 16.66% females). Neuroischaemic type of foot ulcer was present in 34.2% of patients (25% in males and 44.44% in females). Neuropathy occurred most frequently either singly or with peripheral vascular disease. General awareness about the disease, early diagnosis and proper management will prevent this dreaded complication.