Endocrine Abstracts

Background: The present study was designed to investigate the impact of osteopontin (OPN) in different tissue (e.g., plasma, muscles and bone) on amputation rate (in-hospital and during one year follow-up) for non-healing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).

Methods: This pilot study consisted of 30 diabetic patients, hospitalized due to non-healing DFUs. Patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 included 14 patients who underwent limb-preserved debridement procedure; Group 2 included 16 subjects who underwent amputation. Additionally, the study participants were divided into two groups according reccurent amputation rate during 1 year follow-up.

Results: Plasma OPN was higher and bone OPN was lower in Group 2 compare to Group 1 (P=0.016 and P=0.004, respectively). In the logistic regression analysis, bone OPN emerged as a significant independent predictor of amputation (OR=0.042, 95% CI 0.003–0.699, P=0.027). Plasma OPN was also associated with amputation such that each unit increase in plasma OPN was associated with increase in odds of amputation of 17.7% (95% CI 0.997–1.388, P=0.054). The study participants were divided into two groups according amputation during 1 year follow-up: Group 1 included 11 patients who underwent amputation; Group 2 included 19 patients who did not need amputation at one year follow-up. Plasma OPN were higher and bone osteopontin was lower in Group 1than in Group 2. However, in GLM analysis bone OPN was marginally associated with one year amputation.

Conclusions: Decreased levels of OPN in bone and increased plasma OPN are independently associated with in-hospital amputation in patient with non-healing diabetic foot ulcers.