PREVENTIVE TREATMENT OF FOOT DEFORMITIES IN TYPE-1 DIABETIC-PATIENTS AGED 15-50 YEARS - AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC AND PROSPECTIVE-STUDY

Objectives. To prevent worsening of foot deformities in diabetic patie nts. Design. A population-based and prospective study. Subjects, All p atients in the county of Umea with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) (n=30 8) aged 15-50 years. Main outcome measures. Examination and individual education was performed. Patients with the most pronounced foot defor mities (n=67) were fitted with custom-made insoles and had repeated fo ot examinations, An identical examination was used at a 3-year follow- up. Results. Patients who were fitted with insoles had higher sensory thresholds for vibration compared to those with no insoles. They were older and had longer duration of DM. Improvement of foot deformities w as significantly more common in patients after treatment with insoles than in patients without. Plantar ulcers did not occur in patients wit h moulded insoles. Conclusion. Information, follow-up examinations and moulded insoles improve neuropathic foot deformities in many patients , even in those with pronounced deformities.