Undiagnosed severe sleep apnoea and diabetic foot ulceration – a case series based hypothesis: a hitherto under emphasized factor in failure to heal

Abstract

We observe in three severely obese individuals with diabetes that untreated severe OSA may have contributed to delayed wound healing. We also observed an improvement in two individuals after institution of CPAP therapy. Clinicians managing the diabetic foot should consider investigating the presence of OSA in non-healing or slowly progressive foot ulcers when all other factors have been fully optimized.