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Diabetic foot infection
Background
Overview
Definition
DFI is a microvascular complication characterized by soft tissue or bone infection below the malleoli in a diabetic.
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Pathophysiology
DFI is caused by an amalgamation of neuropathy, vasculopathy, immunopathy, and foot ulcer infected with microbes (S. aureus, Proteus species, E. coli, Peptostreptococcus, Veilonella, and Bacteroides species).
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Disease course
Clinical manifestations include longstanding ulceration of a foot, constitutional symptoms (fever, tachycardia, tachypnea) of infection, wound erythema, hyperkeratosis, anhidrosis, fissures, blisters, nail disorders, and necrosis. Chronic infection may lead to osteomyelitis, gangrene, metabolic instability, and septic shock.
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Prognosis and risk of recurrence
The all-cause mortality associated with lower extremity amputation is 86.80 per 1,000 person-years.
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Guidelines
Key sources
The following summarized guidelines for the evaluation and management of diabetic foot infection are prepared by our editorial team based on guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA/IWGDF 2024), the Society for Vascular Medicine (SVM/SVS/APMA 2016), and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA 2012).
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