Abstract: Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) and its risk factors in patients with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). Methods We retrospectively collected the clinical and follow-up data of 650 patients with DFU treated in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of Nanfang Hospital between January, 2017 and December, 2019. We compared the data between patients who had LEAD and those without LEAD and used a multivariate logistic regression model to analyze the risk factors of LEAD in DFU patients. Results Among the 650 DFU patients, 470 (72.4% ) had LEAD. The patients were followed up for a mean of 3.5 months, and the mean healing time of DFU was 2.55 months; healing of DFU occurred in 453 patients and 183 patients received amputation. The patients with LEAD and those without LEAD differed significantly in age, hospitalization costs, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), glycated hemoglobin, bloodlipid levels, disease course, ankle brachial index, healing time, smoking history, clinical outcomes, Wagner grade and imaging results (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified age (OR=1.070, 95% CI: 1.049-1.091), smoking history (OR=2.013, 95% CI: 1.268-3.195), and a decreased DBP (OR=0.980, 95% CI: 0.963-0.997) as independent risk factors for LEAD in DFU patients. A prolonged healing time was a prominent clinical feature of DFU complicated by LEAD. Conclusion DFU patients have a high incidence of LEAD, which leads to high rates of disability and mortality and is associated with an advanced age, high smoking rate and longer healing time. A decreased DBP is also a risk factor for LEAD in DFU patients.

Key words: diabetic foot ulcer; lower extremity arterial disease; clinical characteristics; risk factors