Diabetic Foot Infection - Complications in Patients after Organ Transplantation and without Transplantation

Overview

The risk of foot ulcers with a local and generalized infection may increase in diabetic patients after transplantation of the kidney or transplantation of the pancreas and kidney. Deep infection in a diabetic foot threatens the extremity and must be treated aggressively. The objective of the presented work was to assess differences in microbiological findings in swabs from diabetic ulcers and the use of antibiotics in the management of diabetic foot infection in patients after organ transplantation and in patients without transplantation. In a retrospective study, a group of 20 patients with the diabetic foot after organ transplantation and a group of 97 patients with the diabetic foot without transplantation, who were treated in our podiatric outpatient unit in 1995-1996, was evaluated. Results of our study showed a significantly higher occurrence of the Enterobacter species in patients with the diabetic foot syndrome after organ transplantation in comparison with patients with the diabetic foot syndrome without transplantation. In practice, this led to significantly more frequent use of broad-spectrum antibiotics focused on Gram-negative bacteria.

Key words:
diabetes mellitus - diabetic foot infection - transplantation of the kidney - transplantation of the pancreas - antibiotic treatment