Improved extremity tissue oxygenation with short-term exposure to textiles embedded with far infrared light emitting thermoactive particles in patients with diabetes mellitus

A single-center, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, crossover study of 32 subjects with either type 1 or type 2 DM. An active FIR wrap followed by a placebo wrap (or vice versa) was applied to the arm, calf, ankle, and forefoot for 60 min each with continuous TcPO₂ measurements. The treatment effect of the active versus placebo wrap was estimated using a linear mixed effect model adjusted for period, sequence, baseline value, and anatomic site.

The active FIR wrap increased mean TcPO₂ at the arm (2.6 ± 0.8 mmHg, p = .002), calf (1.5 ± 0.7 mmHg, p = .03), and ankle (1.7 ± 0.8 mmHg, p = .04) and composite of all sites (1.4 ± 0.5 mmHg, p = .002) after 60 min. The estimated treatment effect was significant for the active FIR wrap at the calf (1.5 ± 0.7 mmHg, p = .045) and in composite of all sites (1.2 ± 0.5 mmHg, p = .013).

Short-term exposure to FIR textiles improves peripheral tissue oxygenation in patients with diabetes.