• Ahmet Karakas, Erol Arslan, Tolga Cakmak, Ibrahim Aydin, E Ozgur Akgul, and Seref Demirbas.
• Ahmet Karakas, Assistant Professor, Department of Infectious Disease and Clinical Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy and School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
• Pak J Med Sci. 2014 May 1; 30 (3): 578-82.

ObjectiveThe aim of this pilot study was to determine clinical and laboratory factors that predict amputation surgery and to evaluate the predictive value of soluble CD14 (sCD14), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and procalcitonin (PCT) in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).MethodsTwenty-seven (20 males, 7 females) Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFU) patients admitted to our department were consecutively enrolled. The patients' demographics and wound characteristics were noted. IL-6, PCT, and sCD14 were measured at admission.ResultsSix of the 27 patients (22%) eventually underwent lower extremity amputation. Compared to the non-amputation group, a previous history of amputation (p=0.017), the presence of gangrene (p=0.044), the Wagner grade (p=0.011), the IL-6 concentration (p=0.018), the white blood cell count (WBC) (p=0.036), and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (p=0.042) were significantly high in the amputation group. However, the sCD14 and PCT concentration were not significantly different.ConclusionWe have shown for the first time that IL-6 may have predictive value for lower extremity amputation in patients with DFU. Further studies are needed to confirm its predictive value in this patient group.

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