The population hospitalized in Internal Medicine presents high clinical severity, characterized by poor metabolic control, critical ischemia, and gangrene at admission, which is associated with a high rate of major amputations.
The study population had a mean age of 66.9 years with a predominance of male sex.
Patients had poor metabolic control as measured by glycated hemoglobin at admission.
The majority of patients were admitted with advanced diabetic foot lesions according to the Wagner scale.
Hospitalized patients had a high overall amputation rate and a notable in-hospital mortality.
This research describes what happened to 114 patients who were admitted to a major national hospital in Peru in 2024 specifically for diabetic foot complications. The patients were mostly men (about 70%) with an average age of nearly 67 years. Their blood sugar control was poor on average, and most were admitted with severe foot wounds — nearly half had localized gangrene (the most advanced stage before whole-limb involvement) and about a third had deep infections affecting bone or joints. The outcomes were serious: almost half of all patients (46.5%) required an amputation during their hospital stay, and 7% died. The typical patient spent about 12 and a half days in the hospital. These findings suggest that by the time many patients arrived at this hospital, their condition had already progressed to a stage where saving the limb was very difficult. This research suggests that diabetic foot disease in this Peruvian hospital setting is being diagnosed and treated at a very late stage, which contributes to high rates of limb loss and death. Earlier detection, better ongoing blood sugar management, and improved access to care before wounds become gangrenous could potentially reduce these severe outcomes. The findings highlight a need for stronger preventive and early-intervention strategies for people living with diabetes in Peru.
Julon-Buitron J, Paz-Ibarra J. (2026). Characteristics of patients hospitalized for diabetic foot in a national hospital in Peru, 2024.. Revista peruana de medicina experimental y salud publica. https://doi.org/10.17843/rpmesp.2026.433.16361