Prevalence of mixed infections in the diabetic pedal wound: a perspective based on a national audit.
Publication/Presentation Date
6-1-2002
Abstract
Foot infections can have disastrous consequences in the life of a diabetic. The treatment of the pedal wound demands a great deal of resources. This retrospective study was formulated to determine the incidence of polymicrobial infections. The National Hospital Discharge Survey was used to gather data regarding cultures from diabetic foot infections. Codes from surgery were used because intraoperative cultures are the most reliable. It was observed that Staphylococcus Aureus is the most frequently responsible inciting organism; regarding polymicrobial infections, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus were the most common combination found. Incidence of anaerobes and gram negatives was low. This information tells a clinician that very broad-spectrum antibiotics would most commonly not be necessary, putting the impetus on the doctors to clinically assess a wound and prescribe the most appropriate antibiotic selection.
Volume
1
Issue
2
First Page
125
Last Page
128
ISSN
1534-7346
Published In/Presented At
Smith, S. R., & Reed, J. F., 3rd (2002). Prevalence of mixed infections in the diabetic pedal wound: a perspective based on a national audit. The international journal of lower extremity wounds, 1(2), 125–128. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534734602001002007
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
15871962
Department(s)
Department of Surgery
Document Type
Article