Foot Sole Temperature Correlates with Ankle–Brachial Index, Pulse Wave Velocity, and Arterial Age in Diabetic Patients Without Diagnosis of Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Background/Objectives: Some vascular alterations such as peripheral arterial disease (PAD) or arterial stiffness can alter perfusion of the limbs, so we wondered if this is reflected in the temperature of the soles of the feet of diabetic patients who did not have a diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease. Foot sole temperature was correlated with the ankle–brachial index (ABI), carotid—femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and arterial age. Methods: A total of 175 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, without a previous diagnosis of PAD, were recruited. Comorbidities, anthropometry, biochemical analysis results, temperature, ABI, cfPWV, baPWV, and arterial age were recorded. Forty-two temperature records were obtained from the sole of the foot with an FLIR T865 thermal imaging camera. ABI, cfPWV, baPWV, and arterial age were obtained using plethysmographic and oscillometric methods. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS v.29.0 (correlations and multiple linear regression models). Results: All temperature points analyzed correlated negatively with ABI (p < 0.001) and rho values ranged from −0.168 to −0.210. Likewise, cfPWV, baPWV, and arterial age had similar results, since most temperature records showed low rho values and a negative correlation with these parameters. Four models were developed to explain the variables of interest. Temperature was involved in all of them. The temperature of the first toe was included in the prediction of cfPWV, baPWV, and arterial age. Conclusions: There is an inversely proportional relationship between temperature and ABI, cfPWV, baPWV, and arterial age in diabetic patients without a previous diagnosis of arterial disease. Temperature can be a predictor of these hemodynamic variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]