Endocrine Abstracts

Of all the late complications of diabetes, foot lesions are the most preventable. The multidisciplinary approach to providing specialized help for people with diabetes can prevent the amputations in 49–85% diabetic foots.

Aim: The organization of specialized help to patient with diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) by the establishing the network of ‘Diabetic foot’ rooms and training of multidisciplinary team of specialists (endocrinologist, surgeon, GP, cardiologist and nurses-podiatrists) in order to decrease a number of lower limb amputations in peoples with diabetes in Uzbekistan.

Methods: Within the framework of an international project WDF08-379 ‘Prevention of lower limb amputations in people with diabetes in Uzbekistan’, implemented by ‘UMID’ association jointly with Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan and Republican specialised scientific and practical medical Centre of endocrinology in 2010–2012, 288 ‘Diabetic foot’ rooms were set up under 14 endocrinological dispensaries and in 274 rural district clinics. To work in these rooms, 288 special multidisciplinary teams (endocrinologist, surgeon, GP, cardiologist) and 615 podiatrists were trained to render a qualified medical help to peoples with diabetes and teach them rules of foot care.

Results: During the project, 22479 patients with diabetes have been screened and trained in the ‘Diabetic foot’ rooms. As a part of Diabetes Self-Management Education courses, the nurses-podiatrists educate the peoples with diabetes on DFS prevention. Annually over 23,800 peoples with diabetes undertake feet examination and training in ‘Diabetic foot’ rooms. The trained multidisciplinary teams (endocrinologist, surgeon, GP, cardiologist, podiatrist) from 14 regions provides specialized care to patients with DFS. The effective work of the trained team reduced a number of amputations in peoples with diabetes by 2 times in Uzbekistan.

Conclusions: Implementation of the project ‘Prevention of lower limb amputations in people with diabetes mellitus in Uzbekistan’ improved a specialised help to people with DFS due to launching a network of ‘Diabetic foot’ rooms and an effective work of podiatrists; training of multidisciplinary teams in 14 regions which resulted in the decreasing a number of amputations in peoples with diabetes by 2 times in Uzbekistan; increased awareness of rural people with diabetes on prevention of DFS.