ROLE OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCKS IN THE CARE OF THE HIGH-RISK DIABETIC FOOT- A MULTICENTER PATIENT-EVALUATION STUDY

OBJECTIVE - To assess the acceptability of specially designed socks to provide satisfactory pressure relief in the insensitive, high-risk, d iabetic foot. We have conducted a longitudinal multicenter patient eva luation study to assess the acceptability of such hosiery in neuropath ic diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - A group of 86 neur opathic diabetic patients (69 males, 14 with type I diabetes) with a m ean age of 63 yr (range 34-85 yr), and a diabetes duration of 16 yr (r ange 1-45 yr) participated in the study. Peripheral vascular disease w as present in 28 (33%) patients, previous foot ulceration in 39 (44%) patients, and active ulceration was present in 11 (13%) patients. All patients were provided with three pairs of specially designed socks an d 80 patients with extra-depth shoes. Evaluation and foot examination were performed at 3 and 6 mo. RESULTS - Socks were worn for a mean of 6 days/wk (range 1-7 days/wk). Patient satisfaction evaluated at both visits was good or very good in 85%, average in 12%, and poor in 3% of patients. Ten ulcers healed during this period, and seven new ulcers occurred. intention to continue wearing the socks, most or all of the time, was expressed by 84% of patients. CONCLUSIONS - We conclude that the experimental socks have a high level of patient satisfaction when worn with suitable shoes, and may be an acceptable and inexpensive ad dition to existing methods of protecting the high-risk insensitive dia betic foot.