SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters Health) - A portable device that measures temperature changes in the feet may help diabetics avoid foot ulcers, researchers reported Saturday at the American Diabetes Association's annual meeting here.

Foot ulcers are a common problem in diabetics, whose poor circulation and loss of sensation in the feet can lead to difficult-to-heal ulcers. Such ulcers can cause foot deformities or even lead to amputation.

"Temperature monitoring may be a promising adjunct to protect patients' lower extremities," said study author Lawrence Lavery, an associate professor of podiatry at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Lavery reported on a preliminary study of the FootScan, a device that uses an infrared temperature probe to measure spikes in temperature in the foot caused by inflammation. Patients with higher foot temperature are known to be at increased risk of developing ulcers.

A group of 85 diabetic patients who were at high risk of foot deformities or loss of sensation were given therapeutic shoes and insoles and standard education about foot care, and visited a podiatrist at least once every 10 weeks as needed.

In addition, half of the patients were randomly assigned to receive the FootScan device, and instructed to measure the temperature on six spots on their feet twice a day. The patients recorded the findings in a logbook for 6 months. If the temperature had risen by 4 degrees Fahrenheit on one of their feet, they were instructed to contact a nurse and reduce pressure on the foot.

The researchers found that 16% of the patients getting standard care developed ulcers, compared with only 2.4% of those using the FootScan. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

A larger study of the device has recently been completed and the device could be on the market within a year at a cost less than $150, according to the American Diabetes Association.

In related research, Dr. Caroline Abbott, a lecturer at the University of Manchester, reported on a study of 15,692 diabetics that looked at the factors that can increase the risk of a diabetic requiring an amputation on their lower limbs. They include nerve damage leading to a loss of sensation, poor circulation and previous foot ulcers.

"Simple screening can predict people with a high risk of amputation," she noted.

Reference Source 89

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