Morphological characteristics of lesions of the lowerextremity arteries in diabetes mellitus patients in Russia

Endovascular techniques are widely used in many countries to treat peripheral artery lesions in diabetes mellitus patients suffering from neuroischemic foot ulcers and foot gangrene. However, the most comprehensive studies on this issue were carried out in Italy, where the incidence of peripheral atherosclerosis-is relatively low. In order to be able to apply the Italian findings in Russia, we have studied the morphology of lesions of the lower-extremity arteries in the Russian population of diabetes mellitus patients, and have compared our observations to the Italian data. Our study has revealed a greater severity of lesions of the lower-extremity arteries in the Russian population of diabetes mellitus patients. This, in addition to the often inadequate postoperative care, explains the higher incidence of recurrent critical ischemia of the lower extremities in the Russian patients.

diabetes mellitus, peripheral artery lesions, critical ischemia of the lower extremities