Effects of nursing care on patients in an educational program for prevention of diabetic foot.

OBJECTIVES: Identify in patients with type 2 diabetes what changes in the feet would be associated with demographic, clinical, biochemical and treatment characteristics and which would increase the risk of mortality.

METHODS: Retrospective longitudinal study evaluating the alterations in feet of outpatients attended at a nursing visit. Data from the clinical history and foot exam were collected from 918 medical records of a convenience sample.

RESULTS: At 10 years, the cumulative mortality attributable to peripheral polyneuropathy was 44.7%, to peripheral artery disease was 71.7%, to both conditions were 62.4%, and to amputation was 67.6%. After multivariate analysis, duration of nursing follow-up remained as the only protective factor against death (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The risk of death in these patients decreased when they had consultations with a nurse educator. Ischemic feet, amputation, and coronary artery disease remained independent risk factors.