A collaborative research project bringing together four separate studies by researchers at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), in partnership with Qatar Foundation and several institutions in the US, has led to the development of innovative, wearable devices that could enhance the prevention, management and treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.
The studies, completed over a 10-year period, won the Best Research Project Award at Qatar Foundation’s Annual Research Conference earlier this year, HMC said in a statement yesterday.
HMC’s podiatry clinics treat thousands of patients with diabetes each year, with nearly 15,000 diabetes-related appointments in 2017 alone. The International Diabetes Federation estimates that around 23% of Qatar’s population has diabetes, with diabetic foot ulcers being the main reason for hospitalisation for people with diabetes.
“Between 10% and 20% of people with diabetes will develop a foot ulcer at some point in their life,” explained Dr Talal Khader Talal, head of Podiatric Services at HMC and a lead author of the studies … read more