Aims To determine the incidence of, and clinically relevant risk factors for, new foot ulceration in a large cohort of diabetic patients in the community healthcare setting.Methods Diabetic patients (n = 9710) underwent foot screening in six districts of North-west England in various healthcare settings. All were assessed at baseline for demographic information, medical and social history, neuropathy symptom score, neuropathy disability score, cutaneous pressure perception (insensitivity to the 10 g monofilament), foot deformities, and peripheral pulses. Two years later, patients were followed up via postal questionnaire to determine the incidence of new foot ulcers. Cox's proportional hazards regression analysis was used to determine the independent, relative risk of baseline variables for new foot ulceration.Results New foot ulcers occurred in 291/6613 patients who completed and returned their 2-year follow-up questionnaire (2.2% average annual incidence). The following factors were independently related to new foot ulcer risk; ulcer present at baseline (relative risk (95% confidence interval)) 5.32 (3.71-7.64), past history of ulcer 3.05 (2.16-4.31), abnormal neuropathy disability score (greater than or equal to 6/10) 2.32 (1.61-3.35), any previous podiatry attendance 2.19 (1.50-3.20), insensitivity to the 10 g monofilament 1.80 (1.36-2.39), reduced pulses 1.80 (1.40-2.32), foot deformities 1.57 (1.22-2.02), abnormal ankle reflexes 1.55 (1.01-2.36) and age 0.99 (0.98-1.00).Conclusions More than 2% of community-based diabetic patients develop new foot ulcers each year. The neuropathy disability score, 10 g monofilament and palpation of foot pulses are recommended as screening tools in general practice.

BACKGROUND:Diabetes is a common cause of polyneuropathy. The development and progression of nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy are closely related. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors delay progression of both nephropathy and retinopathy. We investigated the effect of ACE inhibition on diabetic neuropathy.METHODS:We recruited 41 normotensive patients with type I or type II diabetes and mild neuropathy into a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Changes in the neuropathy symptom and deficit scores, vibration-perception threshold, peripheral-nerve electrophysiology, and cardiovascular autonomic function, were assessed at 6 and 12 months. The primary endpoint was the change in peroneal nerve motor conduction velocity.FINDINGS:We found no significant difference at baseline for age, HbA1c, blood pressure, or severity of neuropathy between two groups. There was no change in HbA1c over the treatment period. Peroneal motor nerve conduction velocity (p=0.03) and M-wave amplitude (p=0.03) increased, and the F-wave latency (p=0.03) decreased and sural nerve action potential amplitude increased (p=0.04) significantly after 12 months of treatment with trandolapril compared with placebo. Vibration-perception threshold, autonomic function, and the neuropathy symptom and deficit score showed no improvement in either group.INTERPRETATION:The ACE inhibitor trandolapril may improve peripheral neuropathy in normotensive patients with diabetes. Larger clinical trials are needed to confirm these data before changes to clinical practice can be advocated.

OBJECTIVE To investigate longitudinally prognostic factors for foot ulceration in a large population of diabetic patients with established neuropathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A double-blind multicenter study of a potential new agent for diabetic neuropathy provided the opportunity for this 1-year investigation since intervention demonstrated no efficacy in the condition. A total of 1,035 patients with N1DDM and IDDM were included. Inclusion criteria were vibration perception threshold (VPT) at the great toe ≥25 V in at least one foot and ≤50 V in both feet, normal peripheral circulation, and no previous foot ulceration. VPT and clinical components of the Michigan diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) score were assessed at baseline and subsequent visits. RESULTS After 1 year, the incidence of first foot ulcers for the total population was 7.2%. Neuropathy parameters were the same between the treatment and placebo groups at baseline and were unchanged at 1 year; therefore, baseline data were combined for multiple regression analysis. VPT, age, and Michigan DPN scores for muscle strength and reflexes were significant independent predictors for first foot ulceration (P < 0.01). For each 1-U increase in VPT values at baseline, the hazard of the first foot ulcer increased by 5.6%. Similarly, for each 1-U increase in muscle strength and reflex components of the Michigan DPN scores, the hazard of the first foot ulcer increased by 5.0%. CONCLUSIONS Tests of VPT and Michigan DPN scores for muscle strength and reflexes are useful clinical predictors for foot ulceration in diabetic patients with established neuropathy. The rate of subsequent ulceration in the following year was alarmingly high, however, despite standardized foot care education at baseline and regular follow-up visits.