A new study from Northwestern Medicine has revealed a shocking rise in leg and foot amputations in Illinois hospitals.
Between 2016 and 2023, these amputations increased by 65%.
The study, published in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, highlights how this rise is tied closely to two serious health problems—diabetes and peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Psoriasis arthritis (PsA) is already known to be a complex condition, but this study draws attention to even more serious outcomes when chronic diseases like diabetes and PAD are left unmanaged. PAD happens when the arteries that carry blood to the legs become narrow or blocked, reducing blood flow.
Combined with diabetes—which can damage nerves and blood vessels—this creates a dangerous situation. When wounds or infections develop in the feet or legs, they may not heal properly, and in some cases, amputation is the only option.
Dr. Maggie Reilly, a vascular surgery resident and lead author of the study, explained that when people finally come to the hospital with severe foot infections, it’s often too late for doctors to save the limb. She noted that patients with both diabetes and PAD showed the largest increase in amputations.
Interestingly, this rise has happened even though rates of smoking have gone down and treatments like statin drugs have improved. Reilly believes that the growing number of diabetes and PAD cases are outpacing medical progress.
Not all communities are benefiting from these advancements, especially those in poor or underserved areas. She warns that unless the healthcare system improves access to early care and prevention, this trend may continue.
The emotional and physical impact of losing a leg is also severe. Reilly pointed out that after amputation, patients face long recovery times, often lasting months. Many must wait up to six months before receiving a prosthetic leg.
During that time, they may lose their ability to walk, becoming dependent on others. They also go through physical and occupational therapy to relearn basic tasks.
Beyond the physical burden, there’s a mental and emotional toll. Patients often feel ashamed or blame themselves. Some feel abandoned by the healthcare system, especially when they don’t fully understand the seriousness of diabetes and PAD. This makes accepting the loss of a limb even harder.
While the study focused only on Illinois, Reilly and her team believe the trend reflects what’s happening across the United States. Illinois includes a mix of urban and rural areas and has a diverse population, making it a useful snapshot of national trends. In the U.S., around 150,000 non-traumatic leg amputations happen each year.
During the study, data from 193 Illinois hospitals showed over 30,000 amputations. Most patients were men, and only 28.8% were women. A quarter of the patients were non-Hispanic Black, which is nearly double the percentage of Black residents in Illinois. People aged 65 to 74 and those from low-income areas were also heavily affected.
What’s most alarming is that more than 80% of the amputations occurred in people with diabetes. The study showed the biggest increases in amputations among men (+76.1%), Black patients (+67.5%), and people aged 65 to 74. Hospital stays were also longer, often exceeding 20 days.
Reilly stresses that many of these amputations could be prevented through better screening, early diagnosis, and careful management of diabetes and PAD.
She says that healthcare systems need to work closely with community groups to reach vulnerable populations. If not, many people will continue to suffer preventable amputations—and the quality of life for these patients will remain at risk.
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