Global healthcare pathway of people living with diabetes prior to wounding is associated with a decreased risk of amputation

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) has a poor prognosis and high amputation rate. We previously used the French National Health Data System (Système National des Données de Santé: SNDS) to analyze the impact of deprivation and healthcare access on DFU prognosis. The purpose of this ancillary study was to explore the relationship between the global care pathway (care consumption) the year before and after DFU and the risk of amputation. We conducted a study based on a cohort from the SNDS. The data came from a region of France and subjects living with a complication of DFU. We looked at care consumption one year before and one year after wound onset. Risk of amputation was calculated one year after DFU onset. Data were extracted for 6,642 patients. Subjects with DFU had a better prognosis regarding amputation risk when they are taking cardiovascular, antibiotic, neurological, drugs. A consultation with an ophthalmologist was also linked to a better prognosis: HR = 0.71 IC95 (0.499-0.995) (p = 0.04). People with the best diabetes follow-up, even with several comorbidities, appear to have a better prognosis for their DFU. This highlights the importance of global healthcare and the care pathway in this chronic disease.