Altered Circulating microRNAs in Patients with Diabetic Neuropathy and Corneal Nerve Loss: A Pilot Study.

An alteration in circulating miRNAs may have important diagnostic and therapeutic relevance in diabetic neuropathy. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) underwent an assessment of neuropathic symptoms using Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4), the vibration perception threshold (VPT) using a Neurothesiometer, sudomotor function using the Sudoscan, corneal nerve morphology using corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) and circulating miRNAs using high-throughput miRNA expression profiling. Patients with T2DM, with (n = 9) and without (n = 7) significant corneal nerve loss were comparable in age, gender, diabetes duration, BMI, HbA1c, eGFR, blood pressure, and lipid profile. The VPT was significantly higher (p < 0.05), and electrochemical skin conductance (p < 0.05), corneal nerve fiber density (p = 0.001), corneal nerve branch density (p = 0.013), and corneal nerve fiber length (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in T2DM patients with corneal nerve loss compared to those without corneal nerve loss. Following a q-PCR-based analysis of total plasma microRNAs, we found that miR-92b-3p (p = 0.008) was significantly downregulated, while miR-22-3p (p = 0.0001) was significantly upregulated in T2DM patients with corneal nerve loss. A network analysis revealed that these miRNAs regulate axonal guidance and neuroinflammation genes. These data support the need for more extensive studies to better understand the role of dysregulated miRNAs' in diabetic neuropathy.

Application of Wearables to Facilitate Virtually Supervised Intradialytic Exercise for Reducing Depression Symptoms.

Regular exercise can reduce depression. However, the uptake of exercise is limited in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis. To address the gap, we designed a gamified non-weight-bearing intradialytic exercise program (exergame). The intradialytic exergame is virtually supervised based on its interactive feedback via wearable sensors attached on lower extremities. We examined the effectiveness of this program to reduce depression symptoms compared to nurse-supervised intradialytic exercise in 73 hemodialysis patients (age = 64.5 ± 8.7years, BMI = 31.6 ± 7.6kg/m2). Participants were randomized into an exergame group (EG) or a supervised exercise group (SG). Both groups received similar exercise tasks for 4 weeks, with three 30 min sessions per week, during hemodialysis treatment. Depression symptoms were assessed at baseline and the fourth week using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Both groups showed a significant reduction in depression score (37%, p < 0.001, Cohen's effect size d = 0.69 in EG vs. 41%, p < 0.001, d = 0.65 in SG) with no between-group difference for the observed effect (p > 0.050). The EG expressed a positive intradialytic exercise experience including fun, safety, and helpfulness of sensor feedback. Together, results suggested that the virtually supervised low-intensity intradialytic exergame is feasible during routine hemodialysis treatment. It also appears to be as effective as nurse-supervised intradialytic exercise to reduce depression symptoms, while reducing the burden of administrating exercise on dialysis clinics.

Hemodialysis Impact on Motor Function beyond Aging and Diabetes-Objectively Assessing Gait and Balance by Wearable Technology.

Motor functions are deteriorated by aging. Some conditions may magnify this deterioration. This study examined whether hemodialysis (HD) process would negatively impact gait and balance beyond diabetes condition among mid-age adults (48⁻64 years) and older adults (65+ years). One hundred and ninety-six subjects (age = 66.2 ± 9.1 years, body-mass-index = 30.1 ± 6.4 kg/m², female = 56%) in 5 groups were recruited: mid-age adults with diabetes undergoing HD (Mid-age HD+, n = 38) and without HD (Mid-age HD-, n = 40); older adults with diabetes undergoing HD (Older HD+, n = 36) and without HD (Older HD-, n = 37); and non-diabetic older adults (Older DM-, n = 45). Gait parameters (stride velocity, stride length, gait cycle time, and double support) and balance parameters (ankle, hip, and center of mass sways) were quantified using validated wearable platforms. Groups with diabetes had overall poorer gait and balance compared to the non-diabetic group (p < 0.050). Among people with diabetes, HD+ had significantly worsened gait and balance when comparing to HD- (Cohen's effect size d = 0.63⁻2.32, p < 0.050). Between-group difference was more pronounced among older adults with the largest effect size observed for stride length (d = 2.32, p < 0.001). Results suggested that deterioration in normalized gait speed among HD+ was negatively correlated with age (r = -0.404, p < 0.001), while this correlation was diminished among HD-. Interestingly, results also suggested that poor gait among Older HD- is related to poor ankle stability, while no correlation was observed between poor ankle stability and poor gait among Older HD+. Using objective assessments, results confirmed that the presence of diabetes can deteriorate gait and balance, and this deterioration can be magnified by HD process. Among HD- people with diabetes, poor ankle stability described poor gait. However, among people with diabetes undergoing HD, age was a dominate factor describing poor gait irrespective of static balance. Results also suggested feasibility of using wearable platforms to quantify motor performance during routine dialysis clinic visit. These objective assessments may assist in identifying early deterioration in motor function, which in turn may promote timely intervention.

Differentially expressed circulating microRNAs in the development of acute diabetic Charcot foot.

AIM: Charcot foot (CF) is a rare complication of Type 2 diabetes (T2D). MATERIALS & METHODS: We assessed circulating miRNAs in 17 patients with T2D and acute CF (G1), 17 patients with T2D (G2) and equivalent neuropathy and 17 patients with T2D without neuropathy (G3) using the high-throughput miRNA expression profiling. RESULTS: 51 significantly deregulated miRNAs were identified in G1 versus G2, 37 in G1 versus G3 and 64 in G2 versus G3. Furthermore, we demonstrated that 16 miRNAs differentially expressed between G1 versus G2 could be involved in osteoclastic differentiation. Among them, eight are key factors involved in CF pathophysiology. CONCLUSION: Our data reveal that CF patients exhibit an altered expression profile of circulating miRNAs.

Corneal confocal microscopy detects severe small fiber neuropathy in diabetic patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to identify the extent of small fiber neuropathy in diabetic patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 patients with CN were compared with 20 age- and diabetes duration-matched patients with type 2 diabetes and 20 age-matched control participants. All patients underwent corneal confocal microscopy with quantification of corneal nerve morphology and assessment for vibration perception threshold, and a subset of patients with CN underwent assessment of sudomotor function and neuropathic pain. RESULTS: In patients with CN compared with type 2 diabetes patients and control participants, there was a significant reduction in corneal nerve fiber density (14.94 ± 8.23 vs 23.86 ± 7.71, P = 0.004 vs 34.84 ± 9.13, P < 0.001), corneal nerve branch density (18.61 ± 16.7 vs 41.62 ± 22.67, P = 0.032 vs 76.47 ± 38.44, P < 0.001) and corneal nerve fiber length (8.40 ± 4.83 vs 14.87 ± 4.76, P = 0.001 vs 21.24 ± 6.48, P < 0.001), electrochemical skin conductance on the feet (20.57 ± 13.99 vs 61.50 ± 22.26, P < 0.001 vs 76.23 ± 12.01, P < 0.001) and hands (30.86 ± 18.10 vs 61.13 ± 19.14, P = 0.001 vs 68.31 ± 11.96, P < 0.001), and a significant increase in the vibration perception threshold in the feet (38.46 ± 15.10 vs 14.15 ± 10.25, P < 0.001 vs 7.75 ± 4.01, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with diabetes and CN have severe large and particularly small fiber neuropathy.

Using Plantar Electrical Stimulation to Improve Postural Balance and Plantar Sensation Among Patients With Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Randomized Double Blinded Study.

OBJECTIVE: People with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) often exhibit deteriorations in motor-performance mainly due to lack of plantar-sensation. The study explored effectiveness of plantar electrical-stimulation therapy to enhance motor-performance among people with DPN. DESIGN AND METHODS: Using a double-blinded model, 28 volunteers with DPN (age: 57.8 ± 10.2 years) were recruited and randomized to either intervention (IG: n = 17) or control (CG: n = 11) group. Both groups received identical plantar-stimulation devices for six weeks of daily use at home; however, only the IG devices were set to deliver stimulation. Balance (ankle, hip, and center of mass [COM] sway) and gait (stride velocity [SV], stride time [ST], stride length [SL], and cadence) were measured using validated wearable sensors. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and at six-week. Clinical assessment including vascular as measured by ankle-brachial-index (ABI) and plantar-sensation as quantified by vibratory plantar threshold (VPT) were also measured at baseline and six weeks. RESULTS: No difference were observed between groups for baseline characteristics ( P > .050). Posttherapy, ankle and COM sway with eyes open were significantly improved ( P < .05, Cohen's effect size d = 0.67-0.76) in the IG with no noticeable changes in CG. All gait parameters were significantly improved in the IG with highest effect size observed for cadence ( d = 1.35, P = .000). Results revealed improvement in VPT ( P = .004, d = 1.15) with significant correlation with stride velocity improvement ( r = .56, P = .037). ABI was improved in the IG in particulate among those with ABI>1.20 ( P = .041, d = 0.99) Conclusion: This study suggests that daily home use of plantar electrical-stimulation may be a practical means to enhance motor-performance and plantar-sensation in people with DPN.

An Optical-Fiber-Based Smart Textile (Smart Socks) to Manage Biomechanical Risk Factors Associated With Diabetic Foot Amputation.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to validate a smart-textile based on fiber-optics for simultaneous measurement of plantar temperature, pressure, and joint angles in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). METHODS: After in-vitro validation in the laboratory, 33 eligible subjects with DPN were recruited (age: 58 ± 8 years, BMI: 31.5 ± 8 kg/m2) for assessing plantar pressure and temperature during habitual gait-speed in a clinical-setting. All participants were asked to walk at their habitual speed while wearing a pair of sensorized socks made from highly flexible fiber optics (SmartSox). An algorithm was designed to estimate temperature, pressure, and toe range of motion from optical wavelength generated from SmartSox. To validate the device, results from thermal stress response (TSR) using thermography and peak pressure measured by computerized pressure insoles (F-Scan) were used as gold standards. RESULTS: In laboratory and under controlled conditions, the agreements for parameters of interest were excellent ( r > .98, P = .000), and no noticeable cross-talks between measurements of temperature, angle, and pressure were observed. During clinical data acquisition, a significant correlation was found for pressure profile under different anatomical regions of interest between SmartSox and F-Scan ( r = .67, P < .050) as well as between thermography and SmartSox ( r = .55, P < .050). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the validity of an innovative smart textile for assessing simultaneously the key parameters associated with risk of foot ulcers in patients with DPN. It may empower clinicians to objectively stratify foot risk and provide timely care. Another study is warranted to validate its clinical application in preventing limb threating problems in patients with DPN.

Does Physiological Stress Slow Down Wound Healing in Patients With Diabetes?

BACKGROUND: Poor healing is an important contributing factor to amputation among patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). Physiological stress may slow wound healing and increase susceptibility to infection. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to examine the association between heart rate variability (HRV) as an indicator of physiological stress response and healing speed (HealSpeed) among outpatients with active DFUs. DESIGN AND METHODS: Ambulatory patients with diabetes with DFUs (n = 25, age: 59.3 ± 8.3 years) were recruited. HRV during pre-wound dressing was measured using a wearable sensor attached to participants' chest. HRVs were quantified in both time and frequency domains to assess physiological stress response and vagal tone (relaxation). Change in wound size between two consecutive visits was used to estimate HealSpeed. Participants were then categorized into slow healing and fast healing groups. Between the two groups, comparisons were performed for demographic, clinical, and HRV derived parameters. Associations between different descriptors of HRV and HealSpeed were also assessed. RESULTS: HealSpeed was significantly correlated with both vagal tone ( r = -.705, P = .001) and stress response ( r = .713, P = .001) extracted from frequency domain. No between-group differences were observed except those from HRV-derived parameters. Models based on HRVs were the highest predictors of slow/fast HealSpeed (AUC > 0.90), while models based on demographic and clinical information had poor classification performance (AUC = 0.44). CONCLUSION: This study confirms an association between stress/vagal tone and wound healing in patients with DFUs. In particular, it highlights the importance of vagal tone (relaxation) in expediting wound healing. It also demonstrates the feasibility of assessing physiological stress responses using wearable technology in outpatient clinic during routine clinic visits.

Lace Up for Healthy Feet: The Impact of Shoe Closure on Plantar Stress Response.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the impact of shoe closure on plantar thermal stress response (TSR), which is known to be a surrogate of shear stress and skin perfusion. It is aimed to explore potential impact of shoe closure on increasing risk factors associated with plantar ulcers in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). METHODS: Fifteen eligible subjects were enrolled. The left foot was used as a reference and fitted to a self-adjusted and habitual lace-tightening method by each subject. The right foot was used as a test closure and fitted into three lace closure conditions: loose, tight, and preset optimal closure (reel clutch, BOA technology). Thermal images were taken after 5 minutes of acclimatization (pre-trial) and immediately after 200 walking steps in each shoe closure condition (post-trial). TSR was calculated from the thermal images. RESULTS: TSR was significantly higher in the test closure with loose (70.24%, P = .000) and tight (66.85%, P = .007) and lower (-206.53%, P = .000) in the preset optimal closure when compared to the reference closure. Only lace closure conditions affected TSR with no significant impact from age, BMI, and gender in our sample in a multivariable regression model. CONCLUSION: The results from this study suggest that shoelace closure technique can have a profound effect on TSR. It therefore stands to reason that optimal lace closure may have an impact in reducing risk of plantar ulcers in people with DPN. Interestingly, results revealed that even a self-adjusted lace closure may not be necessarily optimal and a preset closure setting like reel clutch might ultimately be recommended to minimize risk. Further study is warranted to confirm or refute these interesting results.

Can't Stand the Pressure: The Association Between Unprotected Standing, Walking, and Wound Healing in People With Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to report patterns of physical activity and their relationship to wound healing success in patients with diabetic foot ulcers protected with removable or irremovable offloading devices. METHODS: Forty-nine people with diabetic foot ulcers were randomized to wear either a removable cast walker (RCW) or an irremovable instant total contact cast (iTCC). Primary outcome measures included change in wound size, physical activities including position (ie, sitting, standing, lying) and locomotion (speed, steps, etc). Outcomes parameters were assessed on weekly basis until wound healing or until 12 weeks. RESULTS: A higher proportion of patients healed at 12 weeks in the iTCC group ( P = .038). Significant differences in activity were observed between groups starting at week 4. RCW patients became more active than the iTCC group (75% higher duration of standing, 100% longer duration of walking, and 126% longer unbroken walking bout, P < .05). Overall, there was an inverse association between rate of weekly wound healing and number of steps taken per day ( r < -.33, P < .05) for both groups. RCW patients had a significant inverse correlation between duration of daily standing and weekly rate of healing ( r = -.67, P < .05). Standing duration was the only significant predictor of healing at 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: The results from this study suggest significant differences in activity patterns between removable and irremovable offloading devices. These patterns appear to start diverging at week 4, which may indicate a decline in adherence to offloading. Results suggest that while walking may delay wound healing, unprotected standing might be an even more unrealized and sinister culprit.

A wearable wound moisture sensor as an indicator for wound dressing change: an observational study of wound moisture and status.

Wound moisture is known to be a key parameter to ensure optimum healing conditions in wound care. This study tests the moisture content of wounds in normal practice in order to observe the moisture condition of the wound at the point of dressing change. This study is also the first large-scale observational study that investigates wound moisture status at dressing change. The WoundSense sensor is a commercially available moisture sensor which sits directly on the wound in order to find the moisture status of the wound without disturbing or removing the dressing. The results show that of the 588 dressing changes recorded, 44·9% were made when the moisture reading was in the optimum moisture zone. Of the 30 patients recruited for this study, 11 patients had an optimum moisture reading for at least 50% of the measurements before dressing change. These results suggest that a large number of unnecessary dressing changes are being made. This is a significant finding of the study as it suggests that the protocols currently followed can be modified to allow fewer dressing changes and less disturbance of the healing wound bed.

The influence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy on local postural muscle and central sensory feedback balance control.

Poor balance control and increased fall risk have been reported in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Traditional body sway measures are unable to describe underlying postural control mechanism. In the current study, we used stabilogram diffusion analysis to examine the mechanism under which balance is altered in DPN patients under local-control (postural muscle control) and central-control (postural control using sensory cueing). DPN patients and healthy age-matched adults over 55 years performed two 15-second Romberg balance trials. Center of gravity sway was measured using a motion tracker system based on wearable inertial sensors, and used to derive body sway and local/central control balance parameters. Eighteen DPN patients (age = 65.4±7.6 years; BMI = 29.3±5.3 kg/m2) and 18 age-matched healthy controls (age = 69.8±2.9; BMI = 27.0±4.1 kg/m2) with no major mobility disorder were recruited. The rate of sway within local-control was significantly higher in the DPN group by 49% (healthy local-controlslope = 1.23±1.06×10-2 cm2/sec, P<0.01), which suggests a compromised local-control balance behavior in DPN patients. Unlike local-control, the rate of sway within central-control was 60% smaller in the DPN group (healthy central-controlslope-Log = 0.39±0.23, P<0.02), which suggests an adaptation mechanism to reduce the overall body sway in DPN patients. Interestingly, significant negative correlations were observed between central-control rate of sway with neuropathy severity (rPearson = 0.65-085, P<0.05) and the history of diabetes (rPearson = 0.58-071, P<0.05). Results suggest that in the lack of sensory feedback cueing, DPN participants were highly unstable compared to controls. However, as soon as they perceived the magnitude of sway using sensory feedback, they chose a high rigid postural control strategy, probably due to high concerns for fall, which may increase the energy cost during extended period of standing; the adaptation mechanism using sensory feedback depends on the level of neuropathy and the history of diabetes.

Sensor-Based Interactive Balance Training with Visual Joint Movement Feedback for Improving Postural Stability in Diabetics with Peripheral Neuropathy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) have deficits in sensory and motor skills leading to inadequate proprioceptive feedback, impaired postural balance and higher fall risk. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effect of sensor-based interactive balance training on postural stability and daily physical activity in older adults with diabetes. METHODS: Thirty-nine older adults with DPN were enrolled (age 63.7 ± 8.2 years, BMI 30.6 ± 6, 54% females) and randomized to either an intervention (IG) or a control (CG) group. The IG received sensor-based interactive exercise training tailored for people with diabetes (twice a week for 4 weeks). The exercises focused on shifting weight and crossing virtual obstacles. Body-worn sensors were implemented to acquire kinematic data and provide real-time joint visual feedback during the training. Outcome measurements included changes in center of mass (CoM) sway, ankle and hip joint sway measured during a balance test while the eyes were open and closed at baseline and after the intervention. Daily physical activities were also measured during a 48-hour period at baseline and at follow-up. Analysis of covariance was performed for the post-training outcome comparison. RESULTS: Compared with the CG, the patients in the IG showed a significantly reduced CoM sway (58.31%; p = 0.009), ankle sway (62.7%; p = 0.008) and hip joint sway (72.4%; p = 0.017) during the balance test with open eyes. The ankle sway was also significantly reduced in the IG group (58.8%; p = 0.037) during measurements while the eyes were closed. The number of steps walked showed a substantial but nonsignificant increase (+27.68%; p = 0.064) in the IG following training. CONCLUSION: The results of this randomized controlled trial demonstrate that people with DPN can significantly improve their postural balance with diabetes-specific, tailored, sensor-based exercise training. The results promote the use of wearable technology in exercise training; however, future studies comparing this technology with commercially available systems are required to evaluate the benefit of interactive visual joint movement feedback.

Current concepts in the surgical management of acute diabetic foot infections.

Diabetic foot complications are common, costly, and difficult to treat. Peripheral neuropathy, repetitive trauma, and peripheral vascular disease are common reasons that lead to ulcers, infection, and hospitalization. Individuals with diabetes presenting with foot infection require optimal medical and surgical management to accomplish limb salvage and prevent amputation; aggressive short-term and meticulous long-term care plans are required. Multiple classification systems have been recommended to ease the understanding and the management of these infections. Multi-disciplinary approach is the mainstay for a successful management. Such teams typically include multiple medical, surgical, and nursing specialties across a variety of public and private health care systems. This article is an overview in how to medically and surgically approach the diabetic foot infection with emphasis in soft tissue infection.

Balance rehabilitation: promoting the role of virtual reality in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with diabetic peripheral neuropathy frequently experience concomitant impaired proprioception and postural instability. Conventional exercise training has been demonstrated to be effective in improving balance but does not incorporate visual feedback targeting joint perception, which is an integral mechanism that helps compensate for impaired proprioception in diabetic peripheral neuropathy. METHODS: This prospective cohort study recruited 29 participants (mean ± SD: age, 57 ± 10 years; body mass index [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared], 26.9 ± 3.1). Participants satisfying the inclusion criteria performed predefined ankle exercises through reaching tasks, with visual feedback from the ankle joint projected on a screen. Ankle motion in the mediolateral and anteroposterior directions was captured using wearable sensors attached to the participant's shank. Improvements in postural stability were quantified by measuring center of mass sway area and the reciprocal compensatory index before and after training using validated body-worn sensor technology. RESULTS: Findings revealed a significant reduction in center of mass sway after training (mean, 22%; P = .02). A higher postural stability deficit (high body sway) at baseline was associated with higher training gains in postural balance (reduction in center of mass sway) (r = -0.52, P < .05). In addition, significant improvement was observed in postural coordination between the ankle and hip joints (mean, 10.4%; P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: The present research implemented a novel balance rehabilitation strategy based on virtual reality technology. The method included wearable sensors and an interactive user interface for real-time visual feedback based on ankle joint motion, similar to a video gaming environment, for compensating impaired joint proprioception. These findings support that visual feedback generated from the ankle joint coupled with motor learning may be effective in improving postural stability in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy and gait: does footwear modify this association?

BACKGROUND: Gait-related fall risk is the leading cause of mortality among patients with diabetes, especially those older than 65 years. Deterioration in balance and loss of protective sensation in lower extremities contribute significantly to fall risk in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). This study aimed to explore the impact of neuropathy and foot ulcer on gait. METHODS: We recruited 39 participants (age, 56.9 ± 8.2 years; body mass index, 29.6.3 ± 4.7 kg/m2), including 15 DPN patients without foot ulcers, 16 DPN patients with foot ulcers, and 8 healthy aged-matched controls. Patients with active foot ulcers wore an offloading device during gait examination, including removable cast walker. RESULTS: Results suggest that neuropathy alters gait mainly by increasing gait initiation, gait variability (coefficient of variation of gait velocity), and double support (DS) time, while reducing knee range of motion and center of mass sway (p < .05). Interestingly, the presence of foot ulcer does not impact gait velocity (p > .1) but enhances some of the gait parameters such as gait variability and DS time. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that neuropathy deteriorates gait, but the presence of foot ulcers does not alter gait parameters further than neuropathy. In addition, patients with foot ulcers demonstrated a better gait compared with DPN patients without ulcers. We speculate that offloading footwear may be enhancing the somatosensory feedback from sensate skin, thereby positively affecting gait parameters. A study with a larger sample is required to explore the effect of prescribed footwear in the DPN population in order to validate the findings of this research study.

Electrical stimulation to accelerate wound healing.

BACKGROUND: There are several applications of electrical stimulation described in medical literature to accelerate wound healing and improve cutaneous perfusion. This is a simple technique that could be incorporated as an adjunctive therapy in plastic surgery. The objective of this review was to evaluate the results of randomized clinical trials that use electrical stimulation for wound healing. METHOD: We identified 21 randomized clinical trials that used electrical stimulation for wound healing. We did not include five studies with treatment groups with less than eight subjects. RESULTS: Electrical stimulation was associated with faster wound area reduction or a higher proportion of wounds that healed in 14 out of 16 wound randomized clinical trials. The type of electrical stimulation, waveform, and duration of therapy vary in the literature. CONCLUSION: Electrical stimulation has been shown to accelerate wound healing and increase cutaneous perfusion in human studies. Electrical stimulation is an adjunctive therapy that is underutilized in plastic surgery and could improve flap and graft survival, accelerate postoperative recovery, and decrease necrosis following foot reconstruction.

Plantar Temperature Response to Walking in Diabetes with and without Acute Charcot: The Charcot Activity Response Test.

Objective. Asymmetric plantar temperature differences secondary to inflammation is a hallmark for the diagnosis and treatment response of Charcot foot syndrome. However, little attention has been given to temperature response to activity. We examined dynamic changes in plantar temperature (PT) as a function of graduated walking activity to quantify thermal responses during the first 200 steps. Methods. Fifteen individuals with Acute Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN) and 17 non-CN participants with type 2 diabetes and peripheral neuropathy were recruited. All participants walked for two predefined paths of 50 and 150 steps. A thermal image was acquired at baseline after acclimatization and immediately after each walking trial. The PT response as a function of number of steps was examined using a validated wearable sensor technology. The hot spot temperature was identified by the 95th percentile of measured temperature at each anatomical region (hind/mid/forefoot). Results. During initial activity, the PT was reduced in all participants, but the temperature drop for the nonaffected foot was 1.9 times greater than the affected side in CN group (P = 0.04). Interestingly, the PT in CN was sharply increased after 50 steps for both feet, while no difference was observed in non-CN between 50 and 200 steps. Conclusions. The variability in thermal response to the graduated walking activity between Charcot and non-Charcot feet warrants future investigation to provide further insight into the correlation between thermal response and ulcer/Charcot development. This stress test may be helpful to differentiate CN and its response to treatment earlier in its course.

Virtualizing the assessment: a novel pragmatic paradigm to evaluate lower extremity joint perception in diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with diabetes have a higher risk of falls and fall-related injuries. People with diabetes often develop peripheral neuropathy (DPN) as well as nerve damage throughout the body. In particular, reduced lower extremity proprioception due to DPN may cause a misjudgment of foot position and thus increase the risk of fall. OBJECTIVE: An innovative virtual obstacle-crossing paradigm using wearable sensors was developed in an attempt to assess lower extremity position perception damage due to DPN. METHODS: 67 participants (age 55.4 ± 8.9, BMI 28.1 ± 5.8) including diabetics with and without DPN as well as aged-matched healthy controls were recruited. Severity of neuropathy was quantified using a vibratory perception threshold (VPT) test. The ability of perception of lower extremity was quantified by measuring obstacle-crossing success rate (OCSR), toe-obstacle clearance (TOC), and reaction time (T(R)) while crossing a series of virtual obstacles with heights at 10% and 20% of the subject's leg length. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between groups for age and BMI. The data revealed that DPN subjects had a significantly lower OCSR compared to diabetics with no neuropathy and controls at an obstacle size of 10% of leg length (p < 0.05). DPN subjects also demonstrated longer T(R) compared to other groups and for both obstacle sizes. In addition, TOC was reduced in neuropathy groups. Interestingly, a significant correlation between T(R) and VPT (r = 0.5, p < 10(-3)) was observed indicating a delay in reaction with increasing neuropathy severity. The delay becomes more pronounced by increasing the size of the obstacle. Using a regression model suggests that the change in T(R) between obstacle sizes of 10% and 20% of leg length is the most sensitive predictor for neuropathy severity with an odds ratio of 2.70 (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate proof of a concept of virtual-reality application as a promising method for objective assessment of neuropathy severity, however a further study is warranted to establish a stronger relationship between the measured parameters and neuropathy.