Lower extremity amputation rates in patients with chronic kidney disease: A database study comparing patients with and without diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Lower extremity amputation (LEA) is one of the most feared consequences of diabetes mellitus (DM). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of DM on LEA rates in patients at various stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

A commercially available de-identified database was searched for patients undergoing LEA and for CKD patients, from 2010 to 2023. Patients with DM and patients without DM who were followed for at least 5 years were included. LEA rates were then compared for patients at all 5 CKD stages in patients with and without diabetes.

Rates of all LEA were found to be significantly higher at all CKD stages for patients with diabetes (overall, minor and major LEA). Compared to patients without DM who have CKD stage 5 (end stage renal disease), patients with DM and CKD stage 5 have a 30 fold increased likelihood of undergoing overall LEA [OR 30.2 (24.48–37.19), p < 0.001], 29 fold increased likelihood of undergoing minor LEA [28.9i (22.91–36.35), p < 0.001] and 40 times fold increased likelihood of undergoing major LEA [40.1 (26.59–60.42), p < 0.001]. For all stages of CKD, independent of diabetes status, minor LEA were performed with greater frequency than major LEA. In patients with DM, LEA rates significantly increased with CKD progression between stages 2–5 with a substantial jump between stages 4 and 5 [OR 2.6 (CI 2.49–2.74), p < 0.001]. However, CKD progression between stages 1 and 2 was not significantly associated with increased LEA rates (OR 1.1 (CI 0.92–1.21), p = 0.24) in patients with diabetes.

Patients with comorbid diabetes have elevated risk for LEA at all stages of CKD compared to those without diabetes.