Introduction: Residents in Germany with a migrant background represent a large and diverse group. In 2012, their population in the Federal Republic of Germany was about 20 %. Diseases occur in different forms and their prevalence and treatment is often inadequate when compared to residents without an immigrant background. Aim: The aim of this retrospective, single-center follow-up is the illustration of differences between patients with and without a migrant background suffering from diabetic foot ulcers in inpatient care. Method: The study's main focus will be patients treated at St. Martinus Hospital in Düsseldorf within the diabetic foot treatment center in 2013. Their numbers, age, sex and disease severity (Wagner grade and amputation rate) will be observed. The allotment of the migration status was made retrospectively based on the characteristics name, respectively maiden name, place of birth and nationality. Results: A total of 132 inpatients (n = 102 without a migration background, n = 30 with a migration background) with a diabetic foot syndrome were treated. The findings illustrate a significant difference in the mean age (70.21 years without a migrant background; with migrant background 74.80 years, p = 0.0397 (significance level p < 0.05; 95 % CI -8.963, -0.225)). However, no differences were seen in the amputation rate (major, minor amputation; p-value = 0.9746) and disease severity (Wagner-degree p-value = 0.6075). The percentage of migrants treated was less (22.7 %) than expected 30.9 %. Conclusion: Although poorer health care is assumed in patients with a migration background, and despite them being significantly older, the severity of the disease was similar (amputation rate, Wagner grade). This may be explained by good outpatient care of patients detected or by biomechanical and anatomical differences in the ethnic groups. As noted, the percentage of patients treated with a migration background was less than expected. It is important to consider the reasons (such as access to appropriate care structures or a lack of diabetic foot ulcers diagnoses). Given several cultural, genetic and medical variables, care of migrant residents is an important challenge. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

diabetic foot syndrome Migration background diabetes in inpatient care

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