HbA1c and Lower-Extremity Amputation Risk in Low-Income Patients With Diabetes

Diabetes Care: September 23, 2013

OBJECTIVE Diabetes confers a very high risk of lower-extremity amputation (LEA); however, few studies have assessed whether blood glucose control can reduce LEA risk among patients with diabetes, especially in practice settings where low-income patients predominate.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed a prospective cohort study (2000–2009) on patients with diabetes that included 19,808 African Americans and 15,560 whites. The cohort was followed though 31 May 2012. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association of HbA_1c with LEA risk. Read More