Diabetes

The presence of more than one chronic condition in an individual is often referred to as comorbidity. Various comorbidities can interfere with, or inhibit, wound healing processes. These conditions are associated with complex management, economic burden, and poor outcomes. Some of these obstacles to healing include nutritional abnormalities, aging, diabetes, and infection to name a few. The prevalence of such comorbidities in patients with complex wounds reinforces the importance of identifying these conditions and finding ways to mitigate the risks they pose to wound healing.

By WoundSource Editors

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are open sores or wounds caused by a combination of factors that include neuropathy (lack of sensation), poor circulation, foot deformities, friction or pressure, trauma, and duration of diabetes with complication risks. DFUs occur in 34% of people with diabetes, and approximately 14% to 24 % of patients with diabetes who develop a DFU will require an amputation.

Patients who are immunocompromised present a unique and difficult challenge when considering wound care and healing. These patients may include children, older adults, organ transplant recipients, patients with cancer, those with diabetes mellitus, or those with HIV/AIDS. Immunocompromised patients are at increased risk of hypothermia, infection, and otherwise poorly healing or recurrent wounds. Many treatments for infection and interventions to promote wound healing rely on a properly functioning immune system. In immunocompromised patients, alternate treatment methods are needed to compensate for the impairments in their natural immune response.

By Sharon Baranoski, MSN, RN, CWCN, APN-CCNS, FAAN and Kimberly LeBlanc, PhD, RN, WOCC©, IIWCC

Editor's note:This blog post is part of the WoundSource Trending Topics series, bringing you insight into the latest clinical issues and advancement in wound management, with contributions by the WoundSource Editorial Advisory Board.