BACTERIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS WITH REFERENCE TO HbA1c LEVELS

BACKGROUND The prevalence of diabetes is increasing in India. Patients with diabetes mellitus may have many serious sequelae. Among them, foot ulcers are most common and may lead to severe complications. The present study was undertaken to determine association between HbA1c levels in relation with diabetic foot infections, bacteriological profile and antibiotic susceptibility pattern. MATERIALS AND METHODS The descriptive study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology, CMC from March 2009 to Sep 2010 to look for the pattern of growth of aerobic organisms in diabetic foot ulcers. RESULTS Of the 100 DFI cases studied, most of the patients belonged to the 5th and 6th decades of life, (37%) and (28%) respectively. Males were more affected compared to females with a ratio of 2.3: 1. Maximum number of patients were seen in Wagner's Grade II (40 nos.) followed by Wagner's Grade III (38 nos.). Maximum number of diabetic foot ulcer cases (45) were recorded with HbA1c levels of > 10. The total distribution of monomicrobial and polymicrobial growth was 62 and 28 respectively with the maximum number of growth recorded in HbA1c levels of more than 10. MRSA constitutes 50% in HbA1c levels of < 8 and 8 to 10 and 55% in HbA1c levels of > 10. CONCLUSION The incidence of diabetic foot lesions strongly correlates with poor glycaemic control, which in itself is best manifested by the levels of glycosylated haemoglobin levels. There was significant association between DFI and higher HbA1c levels.