Blindness following a diabetic foot infection: a variant to the 'eye-foot syndrome'?

Citation
Kcj. Yuen et al., Blindness following a diabetic foot infection: a variant to the 'eye-foot syndrome'?, DIABET MED, 17(7), 2000, pp. 546-549
Citations number
27
Categorie Soggetti
Endocrynology, Metabolism & Nutrition
Journal title
DIABETIC MEDICINE
ISSN journal
07423071 → ACNP
Volume
17
Issue
7
Year of publication
2000
Pages
546 - 549
Database
ISI
SICI code
0742-3071(200007)17:7<546:BFADFI>2.0.ZU;2-P
Abstract
Aims The 'eye-foot syndrome' was initially described by Walsh et al. to hig hlight the important association of foot lesions in patients with diabetic retinopathy. We present a case of a 58-year-old patient with Type 2 diabete s mellitus who developed blindness following endogenous staphylococcal endo phthalmitis from an infected foot ulcer. Results Our case describes the link between the eye and the foot but is som ewhat different to the association as described by Walsh et al. Endogenous endophthalmitis is rare with diabetic patients being especially at risk, an d we report the first case of endogenous staphylococcal endophthalmitis rel ated to a diabetic foot lesion. Conclusions Our case illustrates several important issues in the management of diabetic patients admitted to hospital with infection; the need to thor oughly examine the feet to ascertain any foot lesions and any underlying pe ripheral vascular disease or peripheral neuropathy, to treat aggressively a ny infected foot lesions to prevent serious complications of septicaemia an d to consider rare conditions like endogenous endophthalmitis in any diabet ic patient presenting with acute visual impairment and septicaemia.