Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 22, 2026
Establishment of a Primary Culture of Patient-derived Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Published on: April 11, 2018
Relationship between skin temperature and soft tissue hardness in diabetic patients: an exploratory study
Adérito Seixas1,2,3, Kurt Ammer4, Rui Carvalho5
1Escola Superior de Saúde, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Porto, Portugal.
Objective:
The role of skin temperature and soft tissue hardness in the development of plantar ulcers is still in debate. However, the relationship between skin temperature and soft tissue hardness has not been explored. This study intends to analyse an eventual association between skin temperature and soft tissue hardness in the foot of diabetic patients Approach: Twenty diabetic patients enrolled for this study. The analysis was done at the foot level, therefore, skin temperature and soft tissue hardness data of the plantar surface of 40 feet were obtained in eight regions of the foot, two in the heel, two in the midfoot, three in the forefoot and one in the hallux. Information regarding glycaemic control (HbA1c levels) was retrieved from the clinical records of the patients.
Main Results:
After averaging skin temperature and soft tissue hardness in the calcaneum (medial and lateral), in the midfoot (medial and lateral) and in the metatarsal head (1st, 2nd-3rd and 4th-5th), a negative, moderate and significant association was found between skin temperature and soft tissue hardness in the metatarsal head (rho = -0.553; p < 0.001), a positive, low and significant association was found in the midfoot (rho = 0.333; p = 0.036), but no association was found in the heel. The multiple linear regression models with skin temperature as dependent variable and soft tissue hardness as predictor were statistically significant in the metatarsal heads and midfoot, and explained 28.8% (R 2 = 0.288, F (1,38) = 15.37, p < 0.001) and 11.9% (R 2 = 0.119, F (1,38) = 5.151, p = 0.029) of the variance in skin temperature, respectively.
Significance:
Skin temperature is negatively associated with soft tissue hardness in the metatarsal head region and positively associated with soft tissue hardness in the midfoot. These findings imply that soft tissue hardness should be considered in the assessment of diabetic foot patients and that this variable should be controlled in studies assessing the determinants of foot skin temperature.
More Related Videos
11:12Driving Simulation in the Clinic: Testing Visual Exploratory Behavior in Daily Life Activities in Patients with Visual Field Defects
Published on: September 18, 2012
09:30Tissue Characterization after a New Disaggregation Method for Skin Micro-Grafts Generation
Published on: March 4, 2016
Related Concept Videos
02:12Relationship Formation
01:22Toughness and Hardness of Aggregate
01:28Ending Relationships
01:27Relationship Growth
01:20Pathophysiology 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,...
02:55Temperature Dependence on Reaction Rate
Atoms, molecules, or ions must collide before they can react with each other. Atoms must be close together to form chemical bonds. This premise is the basis for a theory that explains many observations regarding chemical kinetics, including factors affecting reaction rates.
The collision theory is based on the postulates that (i) the reaction rate is proportional to the rate of reactant collisions, (ii) the reacting species collide in an orientation allowing contact between...