Evaluating the prognostic performance of bedside tests used for peripheral arterial disease diagnosis in the prediction of diabetic foot ulcer healing

Evaluating the prognostic performance of bedside tests used for peripheral arterial disease diagnosis in the prediction of diabetic foot ulcer healing –

Great work from our colleagues from Imperial College, London.

Evaluating the prognostic performance of bedside tests used for peripheral arterial disease diagnosis in the prediction of diabetic foot ulcer healing

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPIC

⇒ Diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) is a common and challenging complication of diabetes. Risk stratification can guide further management. The clinical utility of the prognostic performance of bedside tests in this patient cohort remains uncertain.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS

⇒ In this multicenter prospective cohort study, no single test performed well enough to be used in isolation as a prognostic marker for the prediction of DFU healing. The podiatry ankle duplex scan (PAD-scan) was the only test to independently predict ulcer healing at 12 months, but the clinical utility of this finding remains uncertain.

HOW THIS STUDY MIGHT AFFECT RESEARCH, PRACTICE OR POLICY

⇒ This study demonstrates a role of PAD-scans in predicting ulcer healing. However, this test did not have an acceptable trade-off between sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of ulcer healing. As such, further research is required into the role of the PAD-scan in the prognostication of DFU.