Thermographic quantitative variables for diabetic foot assessment: preliminary results

Abstract

The aim of this study was to define aspects of a protocol for a diabetic population by obtaining and evaluating thermographic images following thermal stress (cooling of the sole of the foot with cold gel) and mechanical stress (walking 100 m). A sample made up of 15 patients diagnosed as diabetic individuals and 7 healthy subjects as controls were analysed for this protocol. Following thermal stress, the recovery time of 90% of the basal foot temperature was (64 ± 43) s for control cases and (99 ± 98) s for diabetic cases (p < 0.02). With mechanical stress, a mean thermal variation of (−1.3 ± 1.1)◦C for control cases was obtained as against (−2.0 ± 1.1)◦C for diabetic cases (p < 0.001). The results obtained provide evidence that thermographic imaging can provide relevant information on vascularisation in patients and, therefore, can be a useful tool in the early diagnosis of diabetic foot disease.