Current Status of Diabetic Foot in Korean Patients Using National Health Insurance Database

Background: Foot ulcer diseases are more prevalent in diabetic patients than that those f non-diabetic patients. Several reports showed the risk of amputation and the medical cost were increased when foot ulcer developed. Therefore, strict glycemic control from the initial period of diabetes is necessary. Since there is no enough epidemiologic data, large scaled studies for medical and economic consequences about diabetic foot ulcer are needed. Methods: This study was based on health insurance claims submitted to the National Health Insurance Review Agency during the period from December 1994 through December 2002. We investigated the incidence and medical cost of foot disorders in Korean population using the disease-classification codes on the health insurance claim forms. Results: The incidences of foot disorders (per 100,000 of population) were 49.7 for amputations, 99.7 for ulcers, and 1,051 for injuries in diabetic patients, and 4.2 for amputations, 10.3 for ulcers, and 943 for injuries in non-diabetic patients. Relative risk of the incidences of foot amputation, ulcer, and injury in diabetic patients comparing with non-diabetic patients were 11.7, 9.7, and 1.1, respectively. Total medical costs (per capita) of foot amputation, ulcer, and injury in diabetic patients were 2.0, 1.7, and 2.1 times higher, respectively, than those of non-diabetic patients. Mean hospital stay of foot amputation, ulcer, and injury in diabetic patients were 1.6, 1.3, and 1.7 times more, respectively, than those of non-diabetic patients. Conclusion: In diabetic patients, the incidences of foot amputation and ulcer are higher than those of non-diabetic patients. To reduce those incidences, we need to early strict glycemic control as well as government based management.