Evaluation risk of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) using infrared thermography based on mobile phone as advanced risk assessment tool in the community setting: A multisite cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the risk of DFUs using infrared thermography based on the mobile phone as an advanced risk assessment tool in the community setting.

Method

A multisite cross-sectional study design involving one hundred DM patients in ten health centers in the city of Makassar. Temperature measurement in both feet is done using infrared thermography based on mobile phones in four zones of foot, namely Medial Plantar Artery (MPA), Lateral Plantar Artery (LPA), Medial Calcaneal Artery (MCA) and Lateral Calcaneal Artery (LCA).

Results

The average foot temperature difference was 0.2–1.0 °C between the risk groups in the International Working Group of Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) category (p = 0.018). The risk zone for DFUs is MPA at risk 0 vs risk 1 (p = 0.025), LPA (p = 0.020) and MCA (p = 0.017) at risk 1 vs risk 2B.

Conclusion

Thermography infrared based on the mobile phone can detect early differences in foot temperature within the risk groups.