Association between elevated skin temperature of the foot callus and inflammatory marker in people with diabetes #ActAgainstAmputation #Diagnostic #Theragnostic #DiabeticFoot

Calluses are defined as “hyperkeratosis caused by excessive mechanical loading in particular areas” and can contribute to the development of diabetic foot ulcers（DFUs）. Callus inflammation is a premonitory symptom of DFUs. To prevent DFUs, recent studies have recommended thermographic monitoring of foot skin temperature, which is recognized as a sign of skin inflammation. However, no studies have examined whether elevated foot callus temperature indicates callus inflammation. The purpose of this study was to examine whether elevated skin surface temperature of the foot callus is associated with inflammatory marker in people with diabetes. This cross- sectional study included 30 individuals with diabetes who had a foot callus. Callus inflammation was identified by skin blotting for tumor necrosis factor-α（TNFα）. The association between elevated skin surface temperature, measured by thermography, and callus inflammation was analyzed using Fisher’s exact test. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo. TNF αpositivity was significantly associated with elevated skin temperature of the callus（p = 0.009）. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of increased temperature for predicting callus