Risk of complications in the feet of workers with diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The objective of the study was to identify factors of risk for complications in the feet of individuals with diabetes mellitus. Took part on the study 117 workers of a public institution in Londrina, Paraná State. Data was collected by means of interview and feet examination from November to December 2003. The workers had their appointments set in the morning. An average of 12 to 15 daily appointments was carried out when data was collected through an interview and a feet examination. The analysis of the data was obtained from the EPI-INFO program versus 6.04b. The results showed that 29.1% of them presented signs of diabetic vasculopathy. In the skin evaluation, 35.9%, 49.5% and 45.8% had respectively presented fine and shiny skin, reduction of hair and anhidrosis. The orthopedics deformities regarding to the feet shape (cavus 7.7%; flat 10.3%), presence of halux valgus (23.9%) and fingers shape (claw-15.4%; hammer-1.7%) found in this study indicate that some patients already present signals of orthopedics alterations. The age, the diagnosis of the illness five years before associated to the arterial hypertension, the physical inactivity as well as the obesity, are favorable conditions for the development of these diabetic injuries.