Hadi Sarlak1,2 · Kamran Shakir1,2 · Giulia Rogati2 · Alberto Leardini2 · Lisa Berti1,3 · Paolo Caravaggi2
Received: 11 December 2025 / Accepted: 5 February 2026 © The Author(s) 2026
Abstract
Background Therapeutic footwear plays an important role in preventing ulceration in people with diabetes. Despite guide-lines recommending offloading footwear for individuals at risk of ulceration, limited data are available on the alignment between current industrial practices, clinical expectations, and evidence. This study explored current practices, priorities and challenges associated with diabetic footwear from manufacturers’ and clinicians’ perspectives across Europe.
Methods An exploratory cross-sectional survey was conducted between May and October 2025 to gather insights from diabetic footwear manufacturers and clinicians involved in diabetic foot care across Europe. A 26-item questionnaire was developed to explore product design, materials, innovation, and adherence to guidelines among manufacturers. Additionally, a separate 14-item questionnaire for clinicians examined footwear prescription, patient barriers, and industry communica-tion. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and open-text responses underwent thematic analysis.
Results Nine manufacturers and twelve clinicians participated in the survey. While only half of the Manufacturers that completed the survey reported having a research and development department, most reported adopting data-driven design approaches (n=8) and scientific literature (n=7). Offloading, internal volume, and toe protection were the highest-ranking priorities for manufacturers, whereas aesthetics ranked lowest. Clinicians, conversely, prioritised accommodation of defor-mities, offloading, and comfort, and highlighted poor aesthetics and shoe weight as major limitations to adherence.
Conclusions This exploratory study suggests partial alignment between diabetic footwear manufacturers and clinicians on functional and offloading features but highlights gaps in aesthetics, materials, and sustainability. Better collaboration, data-driven innovation, and clearer product specifications could improve user adherence, prescription efficacy, and the preventive role of therapeutic footwear in diabetes care.
Keywords Diabetic foot ulcers · Therapeutic footwear · Offloading · Survey · Footwear design
Communicated by Massimo Federici.
Kamran Shakir
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Hadi Sarlak
Giulia Rogati
Alberto Leardini
Lisa Berti
Paolo Caravaggi
1 Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Zamboni,33, Bologna 40126, Italy
2 Movement Analysis Laboratory and Functional Evaluation of Prostheses, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Via di Barbiano 1/10, Bologna 40136, Italy
3 Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna 40136, Italy
Jolanta Szeliga-Krol1 · Agata Betlejewska1 · Monika Buraczynska1 · Wojciech Zaluska1
Received: 29 September 2025 / Accepted: 25 January 2026 © The Author(s) 2026
Aims Our study aimed to evaluate the association between the erythropoietin gene rs1617640 polymorphism and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in diabetes patients.
Methods In this preliminary retrospective study the genotyping was performed on 860 DNA samples from Caucasian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). For analyzing the effect of the polymorphism, patients were assigned into three phenotypic subgroups: non-DR (without retinopathy), NPDR (with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy) and PDR (with proliferative diabetic retinopathy). The rs1617640 polymorphism was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and direct DNA sequencing procedures.
Results A statistically significant difference in the polymorphism distribution was observed between T2DM patients with DR (both NPDR and PDR) and those without DR. The minor G allele was associated with the increased risk of DR. In the NPDR subgroup subjects carrying the G allele had 1.53-fold higher risk of developing retinopathy. Similarly, in the PDR subgroup patients carrying the G allele showed almost twofold increased risk of PDR in a dominant model of inheritance.
Conclusion Our results demonstrate that in T2DM patients the EPO rs1617460 polymorphism is associated with signifi-cantly increased risk of developing DR. This finding can provide a new insight into the role of EPO gene in the pathophysi-ology of microvascular complications of diabetes.
Keywords EPO gene · Type 2 diabetes mellitus · Diabetic retinopathy · Single nucleotide polymorphism · Risk allele
Communicated by Marta Letizia Hribal.
Monika Buraczynska 该Email地址已收到反垃圾邮件插件保护。要显示它您需要在浏览器中启用JavaScript。
1 Department of Nephrology, Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego 8, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
擅长:脊柱外科、脊柱微创技术、显微创伤外科、腰椎间盘突出症脊柱侧弯等。
熟练掌握了骨科常见病、多发病及疑难病症的诊治技术,成功抢救了各种多发伤、多发骨折等急诊、危重病人。能够熟练应用各种新型内固定材料手术治疗四肢及关节复杂骨折、复杂骨盆及髋臼骨折、骨不连等,手外伤的急诊手术、关节置换及翻修术、关节镜下手术,以及骨肿瘤、脊柱手术等各类骨科手术、手术治疗效果良好。能够熟练应用DHS、DCS、PFNA、髋动力锁定钢板、各种交锁髓内钉、解剖钢板及Liss钢板治疗四肢及关节复杂骨折、复杂骨盆及髋臼骨折手术、骨不连手术及手外伤的急诊手术、关节置换及翻修术、膝关节镜下半月板切除及交叉韧带重建术,以及骨肿瘤、脊柱手术等各类骨科手术、对创伤骨科微创治疗具有丰富的临床经验。
临床工作经验丰富,具有极为熟练的外科技能,在骨科各领域有较深的造诣。尤其在关节外科方面,已开展全身六大关节的关节镜检查和镜下手术,总体水平在广东领先,率先在广东开展关节镜下膝关节前、后交叉韧带重建术、膝关节半月板修补术、关节内骨折关节镜监视下复位固定术等高难度手术。并已开展四肢大关节的人工关节置换术,被广东省定为人工关节置换术指导专家。在复杂关节畸形的人工关节置换方面颇有研究。
擅长:危重烧伤救治/重度吸入性损伤的救治/小儿重度烧伤救治/严重皮肤撕脱伤及复合伤救治/烧伤瘢痕整复及功能重建/糖尿病足保肢治疗。
伤口世界平台生态圈,以“关爱人间所有伤口患者”为愿景,连接、整合和拓展线上和线下的管理慢性伤口的资源,倡导远程、就近和居家管理慢性伤口,解决伤口专家的碎片化时间的价值创造、诊疗经验的裂变复制、和患者的就近、居家和低成本管理慢性伤口的问题。
2019广东省医疗行业协会伤口管理分会年会
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