Correspondence
Podological Treatment Has a Protective Effect
The results (1) are consistent with earlier reports of amputations in diabetes mellitus. In 2016 May et al. reported a decrease in rates of amputations of the foot in patients insured with a German statutory sickness fund since 2007, and Hagen et al. reported a drop in the incidence of amputations in participants in the disease management program (DMP) for type 2 diabetes since 2003 (2, 3). In diabetes patients, the decrease in the rate of amputations occurred in tandem with the increase in podological treatment services, according to sickness funds’ reports on medical prescriptions. If podological treatment is prescribed on a regular basis, fewer amputations take place, as Kröger et al. showed in their recent data analysis—a welcome finding (4).
DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2017.0399b
Prof. (i.R.) Dr. med. Ernst-Adolf Chantelau
Bremen
chantelau@gmx.de
Conflict of interest statement
The author declares that no conflict of interest exists.
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| 2. | May M, Hahn S, Tonn C, Engels G, Hochlenert D: Decrease in (major) amputations in diabetics: a secondary data analysis by AOK Rheinland/Hamburg. J Diabetes Res 2016, Article ID 6247045 CrossRef MEDLINE PubMed Central |
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