Exploring Influential Variables in Emergency Amputations for Diabetic Foot Ulcer Patients

Background: The primary reason for lower extremity amputations predominantly arises from diabetic foot conditions. This study's objective was to explore the clinical features and influencing factors associated with amputation among patients presenting with diabetic foot ulcers in emergency departments. Methods: This study was conducted through a retrospective examination of the medical records of 60 patients referred to the Emergency Unit due to diabetic foot ulcers. Results: Out of the 60 patients in this study, 34 (53.4%) were male, and 26 (46.6%) were female. The average age was 61.43\(\pm\)11.584 years, with an age range of 41 to 85 years. Notably, extremity amputation was not necessary for 34 patients (58.6%), whereas 24 patients (41.4%) did undergo amputation. Factors influencing the need for extremity amputation included the duration of the disease, the presence of coronary artery disease, the length of hospital stay, and the presence of osteomyelitis. Among the laboratory findings, factors associated with extremity amputation were levels of albumin, hemoglobin, leukocytes, neutrophils, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, hemoglobin A1c, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Conclusion: The findings of our study indicate that in addition to classification systems, factors such as comorbidities, levels of albumin, hemoglobin A1c, sedimentation rate, and results from complete blood counts are pivotal in predicting the necessity for amputation in patients with diabetic foot ulcers seeking care in emergency units.