advertising
Foot Temperature Trends in Normal, Diabetic, and Neuropathic Foot Populations
Search for other papers by Azza Alalwee in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jonathan D. LeSar in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Mina Ghassemi in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Eugene Cheng in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Steven Stuto in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Lawrence Osher in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Scott Bastian in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Vincent J. Hetherington in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Jill Kawalec in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Patients with underlying peripheral neuropathy are subject to changes in foot temperature. (1,2) Of the many forms of neuropathy that affect the lower extremity, the most notable are those types associated with diabetes. The aim of this study was to look for differences in temperatures between uncomplicated diabetic, diabetic neuropathic, and non-diabetic neuropathic feet.
METHODS: The feet of 75 subjects were divided into 3 groups: 1) normal (n=50 feet), 2) diabetic (n=50 feet), and 3) neuropathic (n=49 feet). The neuropathic group was further subdivided into diabetic neuropathies (n=20 feet) and non-diabetic neuropathies (n=29 feet). To properly assign subjects to groups, all participants underwent vibratory threshold testing with a biothesiometer. In addition, all diabetic subjects had added glycosylated hemoglobin (hemoglobin A1C) studies performed. Temperature measurements were recorded at nine distinct foot locations (six plantar and three dorsal). Data was statistically analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test.
RESULTS: For five of the plantar pedal sites tested, temperatures in the diabetic foot were significantly greater than those for the normal controls (p<0.05). At most sites, temperatures in the diabetic foot population tended to be higher than those in both diabetic and non-diabetic neuropathic feet, with the differences between the diabetic foot and non-diabetic neuropathic foot being statistically significant at one dorsal and five plantar sites. Patients in the non-diabetic neuropathic group were not stratified according to their specific neuropathic types.
CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic feet, with and without neuropathy, tend to be warmer than the feet of patients with other non-diabetic neuropathies. The finding of no statistical difference between non-neuropathic diabetic and neuropathic diabetic feet is unexpected in that a number of these patients were projected to have an autonomic system component. These null findings suggest the need to further investigate neuropathy solely determined by sensory testing versus tests for autonomic system involvement.
advertising
