Evidence on the Need for an Integrated Approach to the Management of Diabetes: The Diagnostic Perspective if Osteomyelitis is Suspected

19 Università degli Studi di Salerno Background According to the International Diabetes Federation 9.3% of adults aged 20–79 years (463 million people worldwide) are living with diabetes and the number is still raising: this will lead to an increased number of expected complications, including infections. Besides, at least half of all amputations occur in people with diabetes, most commonly because of an infected diabetic foot ulcer. Diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO) remain the most frequent diabetic complication, associated with substantial morbidities, requiring hospitalization, daily wound care, antimicrobial therapy and is the most common precipitating event leading to lower extremity amputation. DFO is associated with high health care costs.