Adverse events in diabetic foot infections: a case control study comparing early versus delayed medical treatment after home remedies

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of study groups

Parameter	Medical therapy group (n=382)	Home remedy group (n=313)	P-value
Sex
Men	191	186	–
Women	191	127
Age, years
Mean ± SD (range)	59.1±12.6 (37–89)	56.5±12.6 (24–93)	0.43
Self-described ethnicity
Afro-Caribbean descent	143 (37.4%)	141 (45.1%)	–
East Indian descent	219 (57.3%)	133 (42.5%)
Mixed descent	20 (5.2%)	35 (11.2%)
Chinese descent	0	4 (1.3%)
Diabetes type
1	12	21	–
2	358	292
HbA1c reading at admission, percent
Mean ± SD (range)	7.94±1.54 (4.36–11.23)	7.89±1.55 (4.32–11.67)	0.1428
Interval between detecting infection and presentation to a health care worker (days)	3.7±5.2 (0–30)	8.9±5.6 (0–60)	<0.0001

Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; HbA_1c, glycated hemoglobin.

Table 2 Comparison of outcomes in home remedy and medical therapy groups

Parameter	Medical therapy (n=382)	Home remedy (n=313)	P-value
Patients treated with operative debridements (n)	361 (94.5%)	312 (99.7%)	<0.001
Mean operative debridements, mean ± SD per patient	2.45±1.3	2.85±1.2	<0.001, CI −0.59, −0.22
Mean duration of hospitalization (days), mean ± SD	8.54±3.64	16.3±8.9	P<0.001, CI −8.75, −6.79
Patients treated with amputations (unselected, n)	133 (34.8%)	118 (37.7%)	0.475
Patients treated with minor amputations (n)	113 (29.5%)	89 (28.4%)	0.8012
Patients treated with major amputations (n)	20 (5.2%)	29 (9.3%)	0.0725

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; SD, standard deviation.