Introduction Consensus Projects

After the successful launching of the International Consensus document and Practical Guidelines on the Management and Prevention of the Diabetic Foot at the 3rd International Symposium in 1999 (currently translated into 22 languages) it was time to initiate new consensus projects. The editorial board of the IDF Consultative Section on the Diabetic Foot and International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) decided in 2000 that documents were to be produced on the infected diabetic foot, wound healing and on an ulcer classification for research purposes as these topics were not covered in depth by the 1999 Consensus document.

Three consensus groups were formed and each had a chairman who communicated with the editorial board of the IWGDF, which in its turn was responsible for the communication with the members of the IWDGF. The members of each consensus group were representatives of the IWGDF and/or well known experts in the field; in addition the classification group included researchers who had developed an ulcer classification scheme in the past. The consensus procedure was followed according to international rules. Each group was asked to produce a text which was in line with the International Consensus of 1999 and with other related consensus projects, such as the TransAtlantic interSociety Consensus group on peripheral arterial disease and the Infectious Disease Society of America which was in the process of formulating guidelines on foot infections in diabetic patients. First, the topics and the agenda were chosen, and in collaboration with the editorial board preliminary texts were produced by the three working groups. In this phase the chairman of each group was in close contact with the editorial board. The texts were subsequently sent to all members of the IWDGF to be commented on. The editorial board edited the comments and the new text was send back to the chairmen of the working groups for their final comments. This process was repeated untill the versions were agreeable for all people involved. The last versions were discussed in depth during a Consensus/ Implementation meeting of the IWDGF in May 21st 2003 in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands, preceding the 4th Symposium.