Prospective Validation of the Value of Adding Osteomyelitis to Moderate and Severe Categories of Diabetic Foot Infections

Abstract

We aimed to validate the value of adding osteomyelitis (OM) to moderate and severe categories of diabetic foot infections (DFIs) classification. We conducted a prospective study of a cohort of 200 patients with moderate and severe infections. Variables associated with prognosis were need for any amputation, major amputation, need for hospitalization, length of hospitalization, length of antibiotic therapy, reinfection rate and infection-related mortality. Infections were moderate in 111 cases (55.5%) and severe in 89 (44.5%). OM was diagnosed in 114 cases (57%), 73 presented as moderate (36.5%) and 41 as severe (20.5%). Overall, 129 patients (64.5%) were admitted for a median of 15 days (IQR 13) and 71 (35.5%) were treated as outpatients (day-surgery). Ninety-four patients (47%) were exclusively treated with intravenous antibiotics, 35 (17.5%) with intravenous and then shifting to oral, 16 (8%) exclusively with oral antibiotics, and 55 (27.5%) without antibiotics. Definitive surgery that led to the arrest of the infection was as follows: 117 patients (58.5%) underwent surgical debridement without amputation, and 69 (34.5%) underwent minor and 14 (7%) major amputation. Patients with OM presented as severe had a higher rate of amputations, major amputations, hospitalizations and need for antibiotic therapy when compared with OM presented as moderate. OM is strongly recommended to be added to the moderate and severe categories of the Infectious Diseases Society of America/International Working Group on Diabetic Foot severity system, as recommended by the International Working Group on Diabetic Foot 2019 guidelines.