Oscillations in skin temperature after cold test in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and rheological properties of the blood

I. Velcheva, N. Antonova, I. Ivanov, N. Chaushev, V. Kostova

Abstract: The aim of the study is to follow the disturbances in the skin temperature after cold stress in patients with type 2 diabetes and evaluate the dynamics of changes of the temperature oscillations corresponding to the myogenic, neurogenic and endothelial regulation of vascular tone in patients with type 2 diabetes.
The skin temperature was measured on the palm surface of the distal phalanx of the index finger with two closely-spaced sensors and was continuously measured under basal conditions (10 min), during contralateral hand immersion in cold water (3 min) and thereafter (10 min). A rotational viscometer Contraves Low Shear 30 (Switzerland) was used to measure whole blood viscosity in the group of patients with diabetes type 2 and in the control subjects.
In the diabetic patients significant correlations between the increased whole blood viscosity at the entire range of shear rates and the values of the skin temperature oscillations at the three frequency ranges was found. The spectral analysis of variations in skin vascular tone provides useful additional information about the regulatory mechanisms influencing skin microcirculation.

Keywords: hemorheological properties; skin temperature fluctuations; Type 2 diabetes

Date published: 2015-04-09