DFUs are complex, chronic wounds, which have a major long-term impact on the morbidity, mortality and quality of patients’ lives1,2. Individuals who develop a DFU are at greater risk of premature death, myocardial infarction and fatal stroke than those without a history of DFU3. Unlike other chronic wounds, the development and progression of a DFU is often complicated by wide-ranging diabetic changes, such as neuropathy and vascular disease. These, along with the altered neutrophil function, diminished tissue perfusion and defective protein synthesis that frequently accompany diabetes, present practitioners with specific and unique management challenges1 .
DFUs are relatively common — in the UK, 5–7% of people with diabetes currently have or have had a DFU4,5. Furthermore, around 25% of people with diabetes will develop a DFU during their lifetime6. Globally, around 370 million people have diabetes and this number is increasing in every country7 . Diabetes UK estimates that by 2030 some 552 million people worldwide will have diabetes8.
