MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used in this study involving 245 participants of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was conducted at a Kitamura Wound Care Clinic, PKU Muhammadiyah, located in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, between September 2022 and February 2023. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to assess the relationship between the foot care practices and infection status. A linear regression test to examine the independent risk factors.
RESULTS: Wounds' characteristics regarding foot care practice group were significantly including more than 5 months wound heal from previous wounds (p = 0.045), the percentage of wound site on dorsal was higher in the foot care practice group (p < 0.001), the percentage had no deformity feet was higher in the foot care practice group (p < 0.001), the percentage had no previous amputation feet was higher in the foot care practice group (p < 0.001). Also, the percentage had grade three was higher in the foot care practice group (p < 0.001), the percentage had grade three was higher in the foot care practice group (p < 0.001), and the percentage had mild infection status was higher in the foot care practice group (p < 0.001). The predictors of diabetic foot infection were Wagner and SHID classification and foot care (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.01) respectively.
CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that foot-care behaviour in diabetic patients in Indonesia is poor. In addition, this study also has shown Wagner grading, SHID grading, and foot-care are predictors of infection in recurrent DFUs.
METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were explored to find related articles. Search terms were amputees, artificial limb, prosthetic suspension, prosthetic liner, vacuum, and prosthesis. The results were refined by vacuum socket or vacuum assisted suspension or sub-atmospheric suspension. Study design, research instrument, sample size, and outcome measures were reviewed. An online questionnaire was also designed and distributed worldwide among professionals and prosthetists (www.ispoint.org, OANDP-L, LinkedIn, personal email).
FINDINGS: 26 articles were published from 2001 to March 2016. The number of participants averaged 7 (SD=4) for transtibial and 6 (SD=6) for transfemoral amputees. Most studies evaluated the short-term effects of vacuum systems by measuring stump volume changes, gait parameters, pistoning, interface pressures, satisfaction, balance, and wound healing. 155 professionals replied to the questionnaire and supported results from the literature. Elevated vacuum systems may have some advantages over the other suspension systems, but may not be appropriate for all people with limb loss.
INTERPRETATION: Elevated vacuum suspension could improve comfort and quality of life for people with limb loss. However, future investigations with larger sample sizes are needed to provide strong statistical conclusions and to evaluate long-term effects of these systems.