Nearly 3 in 4 people with diabetes at high risk for amputation have diseased toenails. These are the findings of a recent study presented at the Council of Nail Disorders in advance of the American Academy of Dermatology last week in Washington, DC. The study, coauthored by Drs. Stephanie Wu and David G. Armstrong of Scholl’s Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR) at Rosalind Franklin University, was the first to rigidly evaluate a controlled group such as this.
“This study is something of a confirmation of what many have felt, but the ubiquity of the results is something of an eye-opener,” noted Dr. Wu. “It appears that if you have certain pre-existing risk factors for amputation coupled with a clinically diseased nail, chances are you have a significant fungal infection based on laboratory cultures. It is our hope that this study will assist us in making more rapid assessments and embark on much-needed therapy for these high-risk patients.”
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science educates medical doctors, health professionals and biomedical scientists in a personalized atmosphere. The University is located at 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL 60064, and encompasses Chicago Medical School, College of Health Professions, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, and School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Visit at www.rosalindfranklin.edu and www.lifeindiscovery.com. For more information about CLEAR, visit www.diabetic-foot.net.