Diabetic foot ulcer in the Western Pacific Region: Current data on ulceration rates and microbial profiles, gaps and charting strategies

Lim QH 1 , Loy LC 2 , Abdul Hadi H 3 , Faheem NAN 4 , Shaharuddin IS 5 , Sri La Ponnampalavanar S 5 Show all authors , Lim LL 6

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia. Electronic address: qhlim@ummc.edu.my
  • 2 Faculty of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
  • 3 Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
  • 4 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (NOCERAL), Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
  • 5 Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
  • 6 Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR; Asia Diabetes Foundation, Hong Kong SAR. Electronic address: leeling.lim@ummc.edu.my
Prim Care Diabetes, 2025 Jan 16.
PMID: 39824708 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcd.2024.12.012

Abstract

The Western Pacific Region hosts the largest proportion of people with diabetes. Despite being a key diabetes-related complication, diabetic foot ulcer has been neglected in both prevention and treatment efforts. This narrative review highlights available data on the burden (either prevalence or incidence), as well as microbial profiles of diabetic foot ulcers in the Western Pacific Region, identifies data gaps, and discusses strategies to address these gaps. There are substantial gaps in epidemiological data and microbial profiles for many countries in the Western Pacific Region. Addressing these gaps require developing and strengthening data collection systems for effective surveillance and benchmarking of diabetes care.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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