Evaluation of the relationship between nutritional quality and anthropometric measurements and quality of life in patients with diabetic foot ulcer

This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of patients diagnosed with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) and to contribute to the importance of the priority of nutritional treatment in primary prevention in DFU. The study included 34 diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) patients (study group), 34 Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) (study group) and 36 healthy adults (control group) who applied to Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine Hospitals Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases. The sociodemographic characteristics, dietary intake, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical findings of the participants were recorded by the researcher face-to-face or telephone interview. Daily energy and nutrient intakes of the participants were calculated, Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) scores were evaluated and the Diabetic Foot Ulcer Scale-Short Form (DFS-SF) scale was applied to the DFU group. According to the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, the average age of the healthy group was found to be significantly lower than the other groups (p = 0.000). While the average duration of DFU in the DFU group was 5.1 months, the average duration of Type 2 DM was determined to be longer than the DM group (p = 0.012). It was determined that the proportion of obese individuals was higher in the DFU (52.9%) and DM (58.8%) groups. The mean fasting blood sugar (FBG) and HbA1c levels were determined to be higher in the DFU and DM groups than in the healthy group (p<0.05). It was determined that the HEI-2015 score averages of the DFU and DM groups were significantly lower than the healthy group (p = 0.010). The mean DFS-SF score of the DFU group was found to be 35.0±15.1 and was associated with low quality of life. No significant correlation was detected between anthropometric measurements, energy and macronutrient intake in the DFU and DM groups (p>0.05). In the DFU and DM groups, it was determined that the risk of DFU in individuals with Type 2 DM duration of 15 years or more was 7.4 times higher than in individuals with Type 2 DM for less than 15 years. As a result of the research, it was thought that the incidence of DFU could also be reduced with nutritional practices implemented to reduce the incidence of Type 2 DM. Therefore, in order to prevent Type 2 DM and its complications, awareness should be raised about the importance of nutritional therapy and larger studies should be conducted on this subject. Key Words: Diabetic Foot Ulcer, Nutrition Quality, Anthropometric Measurements, DFS-SF Score, Quality of Life