Background: Diabetes mellitus) is a common health problem worldwide associated with several complications, such as diabetic foot ulcers. The current study aimed to assess the prevalence of diabetic foot ulcer risk factors and etiology among non-amputated diabetic foot patients in the Aseer region, Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients, who visited a diabetic foot clinic from 15 November 2012 to 22 September 2017. A total of 359 patientsÂ’ records were enrolled to improve reliability.
Results: The majority of the patients (73.5%) were male; the highest percentage of patients (74.7%) was without previous amputation. Approximately, 94.2% of the patients had type 2 diabetes mellitus and trauma was the leading cause of diabetic foot ulcer with 47.1%, followed by tinea (21.1%). The lowest cause of diabetic foot ulcers was dryness (5.6%) and blisters (5.3%).
Conclusion: The current study was close to the global ratio with regard to the prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers, wherein this issue exists in most countries of the world with a high prevalence score found in Asian countries.
Key words: Diabetic mellitus, foot dorsum, foot sole, hyperglycemia, Type-1 DM, Type-2 DM
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