Burden of disease from lower limb amputations attributable to diabetes mellitus in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, 2008-2013.

The objective was to estimate the burden of disease from lower limb amputations attributable to diabetes mellitus in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, from 2008 to 2013. A descriptive epidemiological study was performed by calculating disability-adjusted life years (DALY). Burden of disease was high, more than 8,000 DALY in men and women. Disability accounted for 93% of DALY and mortality for 7.5%. The burden in men was 5,580.6 DALY, almost double that in women (2,894.8), and the share of the years lost due to disability (YLD) component in men pushed this rate to 67.6% of total DALY. Men live longer following amputation, so they lose more years of healthy life (65.8%), while mortality is higher in women (61%). DALY rates were not distributed homogeneously across the state. The intensification of evaluation, planning, and development of cost-effective strategies for prevention and health education for diabetic foot should be oriented according to higher male vulnerability.