Diabetic Foot Special Interest Group

Top 10 research priorities

1. What is the most effective way of preventing diabetic foot ulcers?

2. What is the most effective way of preventing further amputation after toe amputation for diabetic foot disease?

3. Why are there delays in referral for diabetic foot disease?

4. How can outcomes in diabetic patients with foot infection be improved?

5. What is the best way of improving blood flow to the leg in people with diabetes?

6. Can risk assessment be improved in patients with diabetic foot complications?

7. What is the most effective way of preventing recurrence of diabetic foot ulcers?

8. What factors affect healing time in diabetic foot disease?

9. How can awareness of diabetic foot complications be promoted?

10. Is an annual foot check for diabetic foot problems worthwhile?

The process of developing these 10 reserch priorities is outlined in an open-access peer reviewed paper published in the Journal of the Vascular Societies of Great Britain and Ireland:

Collings R, Shalhoub J, Atkin L, Game F, Hitchman L, Long J, Gronland T, Russell D. Research priorities in diabetic foot disease. J.Vasc.Soc.G.B.Irel. 2022;1(4):124-129. https://doi.org/10.54522/jvsgbi.2022.031

SIG Chairs

David Russell – Vascular Surgeon

Joseph Shalhoub – Vascular Surgeon

SIG Members

Nung Rudarakanchana – Vascular Surgeon
Sandip Nandhra – Vascular Surgeon
Louise Hitchman – Vascular trainee
Andy Cowan – Diabetes UK patient representative
Jonathan Cohen – patient representative
Prof Fran Game – Diabetes Physician
Catherine Gooday – Podiatrist
Richard Collings – College of Podiatry representative
James Pickard – Podiatric Surgeon
Prof Frank Bowling – Podiatric Surgeon
Leanne Atkin – Society of Vascular Nurses representative
Prof Jane Nixon – Methodologist
Prof Venu Kavarthapu – Foot and ankle Orthopaedic surgeon

New investigators

Louise Hitchman

Projects supported

Evaluating Shockwave Therapy of Lower Extremity Diabetic Foot Ulcers (SOLEFUL) – Louise Hitchman – NIHR Doctoral Fellowship
NIHR Advanced Fellowship – David Russell
MIDFUT study
DOMINO-DFU study
REDUCE study
DEFINITE Audit – Sandip Nandhra – Urgo Foundation
REFORM-DFU – NIHR platform development grant funding
Artificial intelligence for assessment of ankle Doppler waveforms – Pasha Normahani
Anaemia in DFU healing – Sandip Nandhra
Tenotomy for DFU healing – Frank Bowling

Contact

If you have an interest in the top 10 Diabetic Foot priorities, you can contact the Diabetic Foot SIG via David Russell (davidrussell1@nhs.net) or Joseph Shalhoub (j.shalhoub@imperial.ac.uk).