The potential influence of diabetic history on peripheral blood flow in superficial skin

• Diabetes-associated structural abnormalities were found in the microvasculature.
• The blood flow velocity was measured by ultrasound biomicroscopy.
• Subjects with a long history of diabetes appear to have reduced blood flow.
• Ten years seems to be the period after which angiopathy becomes noticeable.

Vascular complication occurrence increases with the duration of diabetes. The present study compared the peripheral blood flow in superficial skin among subjects with a short or long history of diabetes as compared to a healthy control group. Thirty-two subjects with type 2 diabetes were recruited and stratified into a group of those with a short history of diabetes (i.e., shorter than or equal to ten years) and a group of those with a long history of diabetes (i.e., over ten years). Thirty-eight healthy age-matched volunteers were recruited as the control. The blood flow velocity of the superficial small veins in the skin over the base of the 1st metatarsal bone was measured by ultrasound biomicroscopy. The blood flow (flux) of the cutaneous microcirculation over the base of the 1st metatarsal bone (Flux1) and over the distal 1st phalanges bone (Flux2) was measured by Laser Doppler Flowmetry. One-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the differences between the three groups. No significant between-group difference was found in any outcome (all P > 0.05). However, the group with a long history of diabetes tended to have a more reduced blood flow than did the healthy control group. A difference was found between the diabetes group and the healthy control in any outcomes. A trend of hemodynamic changes in the three groups was observed, but the difference did not reach significance. Ten years seems to be the time when angiopathy becomes noticeable among people with diabetes.

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