Dynamics of plantar foot temperature after conductive cold provocation in diabetic patients and healthy controls

Abstract

Cold provocation tests are largely used in clinical and research settings, but conductive cold provocation tests have not been applied in the feet. This study analyses skin temperature dynamics after a conductive cold provocation test in a sample of 30 diabetic patients and 30 healthy controls. The test was easy and practical to apply and induced significant temperature changes immediately after and 5 minutes after the test. Tsk dynamics were similar in both groups. The cooling of the plantar surface was not homogenous with large differences in TSk drops between some regions of interest.