[The clinical x-ray characteristics of the soft tissues of the lower extremities in diabetics]

The authors present the results of clinicoroentgenological and immunological investigations of the state of lower limb soft tissues in 117 patients with diabetes mellitus. Vascular wall calcification and soft tissue edema were noted practically in all the patients with a period of disease over 1 year. X-ray investigation permitted the detection of vascular lesion at early stages of complication development, in most of the patients even at the preclinical stage. A degree of lower limb vascular lesion is not related to a type of diabetes mellitus and the patients' age. There is direct correlation between the affection of the walls of medium size vessels and vessels of the fundus of the eye. The frequency and severity of lower limb vascular lesion, polyneuropathy and nephropathy grow significantly with an increase in a period of disease. A parallel decrease of immunoglobulins is noted. The affection of osseous tissue does not depend on a period of disease and shows insignificant correlation with a degree of vascular lesion.