Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 23, 2026

Author Spotlight: Integrating Tai Chi with Mindfulness Training to Achieve an Effective Mind-Body Exercise
Published on: July 14, 2023
Cardiovascular Autonomic Dysfunction Predicts Diabetic Foot Ulcers in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Without Diabetic
Jae-Seung Yun1, Seon-Ah Cha, Tae-Seok Lim
1From the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (J-SY, S-AC, T-SL, Y-BA, S-HK) Division of Cardiology (K-DY), Department of Internal Medicine, and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine (J-SK), St Vincent's Hospital; Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St Mary's Hospital (E-YL); Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Yeouido St Mary's Hospital (K-HS), College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea; and Epidemiology Branch, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (Y-MP), Research Triangle Park, NC.
Abstract:
We investigated the factors that might influence the development of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) in type 2 diabetes patients without diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN).From January 2000 to December 2005, a total of 595 patients who had type 2 diabetes without DPN between the ages of 25 and 75 years, and had no prior history of DFUs were consecutively enrolled in the study. A cardiovascular autonomic function test was performed to diagnose cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) using heart rate variability parameters.The median follow-up time was 13.3 years. Among the 449 (75.4%) patients who completed the follow-up evaluation, 22 (4.9%) patients developed new ulcers, and 6 (1.3%) patients underwent the procedure for lower extremity amputations. The patients in the DFUs group had a longer duration of diabetes, higher baseline HbA1c levels, higher rates of nephropathy, and CAN. A Cox hazard regression analysis results revealed that the development of DFUs was significantly associated with the presence of CAN (normal vs definite CAN; HR, 4.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-15.33) after adjusting for possible confounding factors.The development of DFUs was independently associated with CAN in patients with type 2 diabetes without DPN. We suggested the importance of CAN as a predictor of DFUs even in the patients without DPN, and the need to pay attention to patients with definite CAN and type 2 diabetes.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications
Coronary Artery Disease I: Introduction
Pathophysiology of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Starch accounts for approximately 60% of the carbohydrates consumed by humans. Since amylase enzymes cannot function in the stomach's acidic environment, starch can only be digested in the mouth and small intestine. Simple sugars are found naturally in milk and fruits in...

