Background: Charcot foot is considered the most serious complications of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. Till now, there is paucity in assessment of frequent and risk factors of such complications in our locality.
Objective: This study aimed to estimate the percentage of Charcot foot in patients attending Diabetic Foot Care Clinic and to evaluate the risk factors for its development.
Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Diabetic Foot Care Clinic over one-year duration between 2015 and 2016. The study enrolled a total of 720 diabetic patient came for evaluation for diabetic foot. All patients were subjected to history taking and physical evaluation especially foot examination. Characteristics of any foot lesion was recorded with neurological evaluation of the affected foot.
Results: Out of 720 patients came to the clinic with diabetic foot, 100 (13.8%) patients were diagnosed to have Charcot foot. Patients with Charcot foot had significantly higher age, frequency of male sex, type 2 diabetes that is poorly controlled. Predictors for Charcot foot in the current study were old age, presence of hypertension, use of oral hypoglycaemic agents, low albumin level, poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia
Conclusion: Diabetic Charcot arthropathy is associated with multifactorial risk factors and requires a concerted effort from multidisciplinary teams. Special scrutiny, foot care and education are imperative, especially in chronic diabetic patients with micro- and macro-vascular complications. Further prospective research with matched peripheral neuropathy groups should be conducted.