Clinical Profile and Management of Diabetic Foot Infection at Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar

Diabetic foot infection (DFI) represents a severe and potentially limb-threatening complication of longstanding and poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, a condition currently affecting over 422 million individuals globally and associated with more than 2 million annual deaths.This retrospective observational study was conducted at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), Peshawar, with the objective of characterizing the clinical features, comorbidities, antibiotic regimens, and management outcomes of patients diagnosed with DFI.Clinical records of 341 patients admitted over a three-month period were reviewed.A male predominance was observed, with the highest prevalence noted among individuals aged 40-60 years.The majority of cases involved insulindependent diabetes mellitus, and an extended disease duration was identified as a major predisposing factor for DFI development.The mean hospitalization period was 25 days.Notably, complications such as peripheral neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, and peripheral vasculopathy were more frequently documented in patients aged 65 years and older.Empirical treatment commonly involved poly-antibiotic regimens, which were administered in 64.81% of cases, underscoring the polymicrobial nature and severity of infections encountered.An amputation rate of 44.07%was recorded, which exceeds figures reported in comparable regional studies and is likely attributable to delayed clinical presentation and advanced stages of infection at the time of admission.The findings underscore the urgent need for enhanced early screening protocols, timely initiation of pathogen-targeted antimicrobial therapy, and multidisciplinary surgical intervention to reduce the risk of lower extremity amputation and the associated socio-economic burden.