On diabetic foot, wound healing, amputation prevention, and the merger of consumer tech with medical devices
A new study from our USC group shows Medicaid patients with diabetic foot ulcers face 18% higher odds of infection hospitalization and 72% higher odds of major amputation — despite being younger and having comparable comorbidity burden after matching. The data point to structural vulnerability, not biology.
When we speak of limb salvage, it is easy to think only in terms of preventing amputation. But as new evidence makes clear, the story does not end at the ankle. It is not just about preserving the limb—it is about extending life and helping people stay active, engaged, and moving. In a recent study,... Continue Reading →
Contrary to long-standing assumptions about massive cortical reorganization following limb loss, this longitudinal study reveals that the brain’s somatosensory map is far more stable than previously believed. 🔍 Study Design: A Rare Longitudinal Window While past research on cortical reorganization often relied on cross-sectional comparisons between amputees and controls, this study by Schone et al. took a... Continue Reading →
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 8, 2025 New Study Projects 360 Million Cases of Peripheral Artery Disease by 2050, Driven by Metabolic Risk and Aging Proactive Prevention Could Avert One in Three Cases Chongqing, Los Angeles — A landmark global study published today in Research (DOI: 10.34133/research.0702) projects a 220% increase in peripheral artery disease (PAD) cases worldwide by 2050,... Continue Reading →
As the global burden of diabetes continues to climb, so too does the impact of its most feared complications—including diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), infections, and amputations. While tight glycemic control has long been a cornerstone of diabetic foot prevention, emerging therapies are now offering benefits that go beyond glucose reduction. In our newly accepted paper... Continue Reading →
Screenshot Ashu Rastogi, MD, and his team at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, have delivered an essential message in the most comprehensive prospective study of its kind: arterial stiffness kills—even when the ABI looks normal. In a paper just published in Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews , Gupta A, Singh... Continue Reading →
A new national study published in JAMA Network Open offers a hopeful message for clinicians and care teams: where and how patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are treated makes a measurable difference in whether they keep their limbs . Researchers led by Hiroyuki Suzuki, MD, MSCI, and including our long-time friend and colleague Prof. Jeff Robbins, VACO Podiatry... Continue Reading →
A new study published in Diabetes Care sheds light on the comparative risks of peripheral artery disease (PAD)-related surgical events—such as amputations, stent placements, or vascular surgeries—between two classes of diabetes medications: sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4i). Conducted among U.S. veterans, this retrospective cohort study analyzed over 150,000 episodes of medication... Continue Reading →
A recent study published in Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism compares two approaches for managing diabetic foot with osteomyelitis: amputation versus circular external fixation (CEF). The research highlights a pressing issue in diabetes care, as Charcot foot—a severe complication involving infected ulcers—often leads to amputation, with five-year mortality rates reaching as high as 70%.... Continue Reading →
More than 100,000 Diabetes-Related Amputations in the USA: This is a Crisis The article "Death by Diabetes: America's Preventable Epidemic" by Neil Barsky examines the high rate of amputations due to diabetes in the U.S., particularly among Black Americans. It highlights the preventable nature of these amputations with proper medical care and diet. The piece... Continue Reading →
