Charcot Foot: An Update on Diagnosis, Treatment, and Areas of Uncertainty

Abstract

Background and aims Charcot neuroosteoarthropathy (CN) is considered a rare complication of diabetic neuropathy. Due to its insidious mode of presentation, CN may be difficult to diagnose timely and a high index of suspicion is required from both, the diabetic patient (especially those with neuropathy) and their physicians for the early diagnosis and treatment to prevent major complications. Methods We planned a narrative review and searched MEDLINE database to identify evidence regarding CN incidence, treatment options, and recent guidelines. As practitioners do not commonly treat CN, a characteristic clinical case is also presented. Results The available evidence for diagnosis and treatment remains of low quality. On the one hand, there is an urgent need for action to increase awareness of the disease in both practitioners and people with diabetes. On the other hand, prospective nationwide registries of patients with diabetic neuropathy will help clarify the prognostic factors that may predispose to this complication, and more randomized clinical trials are needed to identify whether medical treatment may improve CN outcomes. For the time being, offloading of the foot to stop the perpetuation of trauma, and inflammation, and importantly to arrest the progression to a deformed nonfunctional foot is the cornerstone of medical therapy of CN. Multidisciplinary assessment between diabetologists and radiologists is fundamental for prompt diagnosis. Conclusions To avoid potentially deleterious delays in diagnosis and treatment, every physician should bear in mind that every patient with diabetic neuropathy presenting with a warm swollen foot should be treated as having CN until proven otherwise.