The incidence and severity of diabetic hand infection presentations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Morris, H Gillott, E. Bainbridge, Chris Johnson, Nick
Morris, H
Gillott, E.
Bainbridge, Chris
Johnson, Nick
Abstract
Diabetic hand infections are difficult to treat and can present with high morbidity. We set out to identify any changes in presentation and disease severity during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 61 pre-COVID and 32 during COVID patients with diabetes with a hand infection requiring intravenous antibiotics were included in the study. The pandemic caused a decrease in the number and proportion of presentations. Hospital admissions reduced as service provision was amended to enable increased outpatient treatment. However, there was a significant increase in surgical management (25 vs. 21, p = 0.02), total complications (5 vs. 8, p < 0.05) and incidence of amputations (2 vs. 4, p = 0.09). Mean haemoglobin A1C was also higher (48 mmol/L vs. 40 mmol/L, p < 0.05). While fewer patients attended the service during the pandemic, we witnessed an increased severity of hand infections in those we treated. There is a role for daily outpatient administration of intravenous antibiotics in selected patients to reduce the number of hospital admissions.
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Date
Type
Article
Subject
Diabetes, Communicable diseases
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Citation
J Hand Surg Eur Vol. 2024 Jan;49(1):91-96. doi: 10.1177/17531934231196026. Epub 2023 Sep 1