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Thermography: a technique for assessing the risk of developing diabetic foot disorders
  1. Romeu Mendes1,2,3,
  2. Nelson Sousa2,3,
  3. António Almeida3,
  4. José Vilaça-Alves2,3,
  5. Victor Machado Reis2,3,
  6. Eduardo Borba Neves3,4
  1. 1Public Health Unit, ACES Douro I—Marão e Douro Norte, Vila Real, Portugal
  2. 2CIDESD, Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, Vila Real, Portugal
  3. 3University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
  4. 4Brazilian Army, Federal University of Technology—Paraná, Paraná, Brazil
  1. Correspondence to Dr Romeu Mendes, Unidade de Saúde Pública, ACES Douro I—Marão e Douro Norte, Administração Regional de Saúde do Norte, IP, Rua Miguel Torga, 12 F, Vila Real 5000-524, Portugal; romeuduartemendes{at}gmail.com

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Introduction

Development of diabetic foot disorders is one of the most serious and costly complications of diabetes mellitus.1 Foot ulcers and amputations are major causes of morbidity and disability in this population. The identification of patients at risk for diabetic foot should be the first step in preventing such complications.2 Diabetic foot clinical examination involves a 10-g Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test, palpation of peripheral arterial pulses, subjective assessment of skin temperature, as well as the observation of structural and dermatological characteristics of the feet. However, this protocol is greatly dependent of observer knowledge and experience. Digital infrared thermal imaging based thermography is able to quantify small temperature asymmetries in order to monitor some physiological conditions. This technique has great portability and poses no risk to …

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Footnotes

  • Contributors All authors contributed to the conception of the work, acquisition and interpretation of data, as well as drafting and critical review, and final approval of the version to be published.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Patient consent Obtained.

  • Ethics approval Administração Regional de Saúde do Norte Ethics Committee.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.