The Chennai based MV Hospital for Diabetes and Diabetes Research Centre has completed clinical study on a low cost Liquid Crystal Thermography (LCT) device, evolved in the research collaboration between the UK based Bournemouth University and MV Hospital for Diabetes, for early diagnosis of high-risk foot in diabetes patients.
The device, the result of the study for a low cost thermal measurement system to independently determine the risk factors of diabetic neuropathy using temperature sensitive liquid crystal, is envisaged to monitor the effects of drug delivery in a cost effective manner, informed Manish Bharara, Researcher, Bournemouth University, UK. The new devise is ten times cost effective than infrared thermography and laser Doppler, he added.
The two and a half month long clinical study on over 100 subjects in three patient groups comprising diabetic neuropathy, diabetic without neuropathy and non-diabetic healthy controlled subjects show that the patients with high-risk foot may be identified at the early stage, in correlation with foot sensation tests and systematic circulation tests. The study, a preliminary part of the research envisaging evaluation of sensory loss in diabetics, enabling comparison of thermoregulatory response times in diabetics with sensory neuropathy, diabetics without neuropathy and non-diabetic controls.
The technique prefers to address wound healing, the integral part of diabetic food management, by providing results on both thermal and mechanical properties of the regenerated tissue, which will help to choose the type of specialized drugs to assist in wound healing. "The device can assess properties of the regenerated tissue at the ulcerated site as post surgical intervention and might play a better role in the diagnostic technique, which is under investigation, for potential benefits in clinical management of diabetic food complications," Manish told Pharmabiz.
The system design and in vitro calibration procedure has been independently validated at Union College, New York (USA) with three physical forms of TLC materials. The technique provides quantitative measurements of response thresholds compared to qualitative measurements based on sensory perception, explained DrVijay Viswanathan, Joint Director, MV Hospital for Diabetes Pvt. Ltd.
The Bournmouth University is planning to conduct the clinical study of the devise at UK also to analyze the variations in the result. The researchers are also trying to adapt the technique for thermal and mechanic, temperature and pressure management, system in future.