In‐hospital Mortality and Disposition of Diabetic Amputees in The Netherlands

The purpose of this study is to identify in‐hospital mortality of diabetic amputees and the disposition of survivors in The Netherlands in 1991 and 1992. A database including all hospitalizations in The Netherlands was used. Amputees who died while in the hospital were analysed separately. Survivors were categorized according to different types of discharge: home, nursing home, rehabilitation facility, and other health care facilities. Overall 9.0 % of diabetic amputees died while in hospital. The age‐adjusted mortality incidence for the diabetic population was 36.3 per 1000 diabetic amputees (95 % CI: 18.7–53.9) and 28.2 per 1000 non‐diabetic amputees (95 % CI: 20.5–35.9). Non‐diabetic amputees with PVD had proportionally more mortality than diabetic amputees with PVD (P <0.01), diabetic amputees without PVD (P <0.01), and non‐diabetic amputees without PVD (P <0.001). Using Cox regression analysis age (Bage = 0.023, RR = 1.024) and the occurrence of multiple amputations during the hospitalization (Bmultiple = 0.325, RR = 1.383) were significant negative predictors for survival. As age and level of amputation increased, more diabetic and non‐diabetic amputees were discharged to facilities other than home (P <0.001).