The Library
Prevalence and microbiological characteristics of clinically infected foot-ulcers in patients with rheumatoid arthritis : a retrospective exploratory study
Tools
Fitzgerald, Pauline, Siddle, Heidi J., Backhouse, Michael and Nelson, E. Andrea (2015) Prevalence and microbiological characteristics of clinically infected foot-ulcers in patients with rheumatoid arthritis : a retrospective exploratory study. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 8 (1). 38. doi:10.1186/s13047-015-0099-0 ISSN 1757-1146.
Research output not available from this repository.
Request-a-Copy directly from author or use local Library Get it For Me service.
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13047-015-0099-0
Abstract
Background
The prevalence of foot ulcers in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been reported at almost 10 %. These foot ulcers often occur at multiple sites and are reoccurring, with the potential risk of infection increased due to RA diagnosis and disease modifying medications. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of clinical infection in foot-ulcers of patients with RA; describe the microbiological characteristics and investigate risk factors.
Methods
Retrospective clinical data was collected for all patients attending a rheumatology foot ulcer clinic between 1st May 2012 and 1st May 2013: wound swab data was collected from those with clinical infection.
Results
Twenty-eight patients with RA and foot-ulcers were identified; eight of these patients had clinical infection and wound swabs taken (29 %).
Of these eight patients there were equal men and women, with median age 74 years, and average disease duration 22 years.
Cardiovascular disease/peripheral-vascular disease (CVD/PVD) were reported in six patients, diabetes in two patients.
Six patients were treated with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs); three were on biologic medications and two on steroids.
Five wound swabs cultured skin flora, one staphylococcus aureus, one had no growth after culture; and one was rejected due to labelling error.
Conclusion
Almost a third of people with RA and foot ulcers attending clinic over one year had clinical infection, however microbiological analysis failed to isolate pathogens in six of seven wound swabs. This may be due to inaccurate diagnosis of ulcer infection or to issues with sampling, collection, transport, analysis or reporting. There was insufficient data to relate risk of clinical infection with risk factors.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Clinical Trials Unit Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School |
||||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Journal of Foot and Ankle Research | ||||||
Publisher: | BMC | ||||||
ISSN: | 1757-1146 | ||||||
Official Date: | 16 August 2015 | ||||||
Dates: |
|
||||||
Volume: | 8 | ||||||
Number: | 1 | ||||||
Article Number: | 38 | ||||||
DOI: | 10.1186/s13047-015-0099-0 | ||||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||||
Access rights to Published version: | Open Access (Creative Commons) |
Request changes or add full text files to a record
Repository staff actions (login required)
View Item |