The correlation between transcutaneous oxygen tension and microvascular complications in type 2 diabetic patients

This study aimed to assess whether transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO₂) was associated with the presence of microvascular complications in type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients and whether TcPO₂ could act as an independent risk factor for predicting the occurrence of microvascular events in these patients.

We recruited 436 patients with T2D. Based on the presence of diabetic kidney disease, diabetic retinopathy, and/or diabetic peripheral neuropathy, the patients were divided into groups with and without microvascular complications. The differences between these 2 groups were examined using the chi-square test and the t test. The influencing factors of diabetic microangiopathy were studied using a logistic regression analysis.

The results showed that sex, diabetes duration, smoking history, TcPO₂, and HbA1c were independent risk factors for the occurrence of diabetic microvascular events (P<0.05). In particular, the risk of developing microvascular complications was 10.16 times higher in patients with low TcPO₂ than that in those with high TcPO₂ (OR=10.157, 95% CI: 4.602-22.418).

This study showed that TcPO₂ was significantly negatively associated with the occurrence of microvascular events in type 2 diabetic patients and that TcPO₂ may be an independent risk factor for predicting the occurrence of microvascular complications in these patients. These results suggest that for type 2 diabetes mellitus with clinically reduced TcPO₂, we should pay close attention to the occurrence of microvascular complications and engage in early prevention.