A Triplex Ultrasound Evaluation of Preclinical Changes in Type 2 Diabetes in Foot Arteries

Diabetic Foot Complications in Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study

REVIEW

A common chronic health problem among Saudi Arabians is diabetes mellitus (DM). One of the most serious complications of diabetes is diabetic foot (DMF).

AIM

The objective of this study was to identify the most common complications that develop among patients with DMF. In addition, we conducted a demographic analysis of chronic diabetic complications related to DMF.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study involved 100 DMF attending the Jeddah clinic of Dr Soliman Fakeeh Hospital. Several chronic complications associated with DMF were reported, including peripheral arterial disease (PAD), coronary artery disease (CAD), retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy. We examined the feet for ulcers, gangrene, amputations, bone deformities, Charcot joints, osteoarthritis, septic arthritis, and osteomyelitis. By using B-mode ultrasound and spectral Doppler imaging, we imaged the posterior tibial and anterior tibial arteries.

RESULTS

People with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) are more likely to develop diabetic feet. The most common foot complications were foot ulcers (81%), foot amputations (31%), foot gangrene (29%) (29/100), bone deformities (22%) (22/100), ingrown toenails (17%) (17/100), Charcot's foot (10%) (10/100), and calluses (9%) (9/100). The majority of the patients suffered from hypertension and half had anaemia. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy affected about half of the patients, diabetic nephropathy affected one-third, and diabetic retinopathy affected 14%. Approximately a quarter (25/100) of the patients had CAD and less than half had PAD. There was atherosclerosis in 43% (43/100) of popliteal/infra-popliteal arteries. Twenty-two percent (22/100) of the anterior tibial arteries and 25% (25/100) of the posterior tibial arteries were stenotic or occluded. A biphasic mode was observed in 21% (21/100) of anterior tibial arteries, a monophasic mode in 9% (9/100), and a non-flowing mode in 3% (3/100). Twenty-three percent (23/100) of the posterior tibial arteries displayed biphasic Doppler modes, 5% (5/100) displayed monophasic modes, and 6% (6/100) displayed non-flowing modes. Conclusion: Diabetes foot is common among older males with poorly controlled T2DM. The most common foot complications were amputations, gangrene, foot ulcers, bone deformities, ingrown toenails, Charcot's foot, and calluses. Most DMF patients were anemic and hypertensive. Diabetes-related microvascular complications, such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy, as well as macrovascular complications, such as coronary artery disease and peripheral arterial disease, were associated with DMF.

Comparative Doppler Ultrasound Findings of Foot Arteries in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Normoglycaemic Patients

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study was to investigate lower extremity peripheral artery disease (LEPAD) in the foot arteries of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, with and without clinical symptoms of arterial insufficiency, using triplex Doppler ultrasound.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-seven consecutive adult subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 47 age-matched and sex-matched non-diabetic controls were recruited (94 limbs each). Ankle-brachial index (ABI), fasting blood glucose assay, glycated haemoglobin assay and triplex sonography of the dorsalis pedis artery (DPA) and the distal posterior tibial artery (PTA) in both feet were performed.

RESULTS

The mean age of the subjects and controls were 60.21 ± 7.68 years and 56.81 ± 9.05 years (P > 0.05). The mean duration of diabetes mellitus was 10.4 ± 5.8 years. Crampy calf pain was the most common presenting symptom. Twenty-one (22.3%) of the 94 limbs of T2DM subjects had an abnormal ABI. Abnormal triplex Doppler waveform was seen in more than half of the PTA (57/94; 60.6%) and DPA (55/94; 58.5%). Forty-one (43.6%) of the 94 diabetic limbs had plaques in the PTA, while plaques were present in the DPA of 52 (55.3%) diabetic limbs.

CONCLUSION

LEPAD is common in T2DM with a higher prevalence on triplex Doppler sonography compared to ABI values.