Infrared thermography and diabetic foot

The purpose of this study was to identify and quantify the neurovascular risk factors for diabetic foot using infrared thermography and compared with other unusual neurological examinations. The subjects were 504 Japanese patients with type II diabetes and 150 normal subjects. Among the diabetic patients 28 had a history of diabetic foot. We preformed the cold stress test using ice-cold water. We observed the time course of the hand temperature and calculated the recovery rate. The hand temperature at rest and recovery rate was significantly lower in the diabetic patients compared with the normal. The patients with diabetic foot had significantly lower temperature and lower recovery rate compared with the patients without diabetic foot. These differences (especially the recovery rate) were the most specific findings in patients with diabetic foot compared with other neurological examinations. The cold stress test using computer-assisted thermography provides much information about the microcirculation of the skin in patients with diabetic foot. It will be helpful to detect the high-risk patients of diabetic foot.