ABNORMAL VASOREACTION OF PERIPHERAL ARTERIES TO COLD STIMULUS OF BOTHHANDS IN DIABETICS

Abnormal vasoreactions of peripheral arteries to cold stimulus of both hands were studied in controls and NIDDM patients by measuring change s of toe skin temperatures using thermography, and compared with thick ness and calcification of wall and inner diameters of popliteal and do rsal pedal arteries using B mode ultrasonic imaging. Cold stimulated v asoreactions were divided into four patterns: (1) normal type (skin te mperature going up and down within 1 degrees C on the basal line), (2) increasing type (temperature going up), (3) decreasing type (temperat ure going down) and (4) flat type (no change of temperature). The diff erence in patterns was suggested to be related to the degree of athero sclerotic changes of the dorsal pedal artery obtained from the ultraso nic studies. The mechanism of abnormal vasoreactions of arteries with atherosclerosis is not clear, but cold stimulated thermography may be a useful tool in evaluating the state of peripheral atherosclerosis.