Length of stay and readmissions for people with diabetes-related foot ulceration admitted to two public tertiary referral hospitals in Australia

Aims/hypothesis To identify hospital admissions and length of stay (LOS) and to investigate readmissions, cumulative LOS and associated factors for diabetes-related foot ulceration (DFU). Methods Routinely-collected hospital admission data were used to identify DFU-related hospital admissions in two public hospitals between 2012–17. Readmission and cumulative LOS were investigated using negative binomial regression. Results DFU-related admission was required by 749 patients. Median LOS was 8–10 days (stable across 2012–17). Readmission within 28 days was required by 62 patients (8%) and was significantly more likely with increasing comorbidities (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.38, 95% confidence intervals [95% CI] 1.02–1.88). Readmission within 1 year was required by 206 patients (28%), and was significantly more likely for males, unplanned admissions and increasing revascularisation requirements (IRR 1.34–1.70), and significantly less likely for those requiring minor and major amputation (IRR 0.33–0.64). The