Diabetic Foot, Ischaemic Neuropathy, Peripheral Arterial Disease
Conditions
Brief summary
Diagnosis of vascular involvement in diabetic foot disease remains challenging. Differential diagnosis between pure neuropathic or neuro-ischemic diabetic foot requires a combination of clinical examination, medical history and ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurement, which is considered the gold standard non-invasive modality for limb ischemia diagnosis. However, in diabetic patients with suspected arterial ischemia resulting in tissue loss (critical limb ischemia; CLI), false negative ABI results are frequent due to Monckeberg medial sclerosis producing incompressible vessels, while clinical signs are subjective and not accurate in posing definite diagnosis of CLI. The investigators conducted a proof of concept study of the feasibility of microwave radiometry thermometry for non-invasive diagnosis of CLI in diabetic patients with tissue loss.
Detailed description
This is a prospective, multi-centre, trial designed to investigate the he feasibility and efficacy of microwave radiometry thermometry for non-invasive diagnosis of CLI in diabetic patients with tissue loss. The study included 80 patients, equally divided in four groups. Group N: normal subjects; group DN: diabetic patients with verified neuropathic ulcers without vascular involvement; group DC: diabetic patients with CLI and group NDC: non-diabetic patients with CLI. All patients underwent MWR with the RTM -01-RES device (University of Bolton, UK) to record the mean internal tissue temperature of the foot. MWR is based on the principle that the intensity of radiation is proportional to tissue temperature. The specific device is not commercially available and has been developed to detect temperatures from internal tissues at microwave frequencies. Foot temperature measurements were performed as near as possible at the site of ulceration in patients of groups DN, DC and NDC and in various sites in subjects of control group N.
Interventions
OTHERTissue thermometry using non-invasive microwave radiometry device
In Patients included in the four study groups underwent non-invasive tissue thermometry using microwave radiometry (MWR) device, at the same room temperature and with the same methodology. Specifically, the probe of the RTM-01-RES (University of Bolton, UK) device was by applied on the surface of the foot tissue at an angle of 90o degrees for approximately 8 to 10 seconds in pre-determined sites. Measurements were performed by two independent operators. Three measurements were taken from each site. The mean value of the three values calculated by the 2 different operators was used for the analysis. Measurements were recorded using a dedicated software.
Sponsors
University Hospital of Patras
Bolton Research Foundation
Attikon Hospital
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Patients suffering from both insulin and not insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. * Critical limb ischemia verified by both clinical examination, haemodynamic tests and digital subtraction angiography.
Exclusion criteria
* Uncertainty regarding the absence of peripheral arterial disease in groups N and DN. * Uncertainty regarding the diagnosis of critical limb ischemia for patients in groups DC and NDC.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Mean foot tissue temperature | 15 minutes |
Countries
Greece, United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed