TWO THIRDS OF CLINICIANS LACK KNOWLEDGE OF CHARCOT FOOT

posted: Jun. 23, 2019.

Among the lesser-known diabetic conditions is Charcot neuroarthropathy. "It is a rare foot condition that can cause significant deformity, disability, and may lead to ulcerations and infections if it is not caught early in the disease process," says Brian Schmidt, DPM, clinical instructor in internal medicine and member of the podiatry team at Michigan Medicine. Commonly known as a Charcot foot and/or ankle, the effects can be debilitating.

 

Dr. Brian Schmidt

 

 

Schmidt is the lead author on a new study, published in Clinical Diabetes and Endocrinology, that investigated how much non-foot-specialist clinicians know about the condition in an effort to understand how to better focus future educational forums on the topic. Of the 400 endocrinologists, internal medicine physicians and family medicine physicians who responded to a survey, more than two-thirds of respondents -- 67.6 percent -- described themselves as having poor or complete lack of knowledge of Charcot neuroarthropathy. 

 

Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PM News.