Novel Home Care Device for High-Risk Diabetic Patients

Diabetes Clinical Trial

— TempTouchRM  

Official title:

Novel Home Care Device for High-Risk Diabetic Patients

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00500175
• Other study ID #: DK061815
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• First received: July 10, 2007
• Last updated: July 11, 2007
• Start date: January 2007
• Est. completion date: June 2008

Study information

• Verified date: July 2007
• Source: Diabetica Solutions Inc.
• Contact: Kevin R HIggins, DPM
• Phone: (210) 657-2644
• Email: higgins[@]xilas.com
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

More than half of all lower extremity amputations are in persons with diabetes. These patients suffer from severe, diabetes-induced, peripheral, sensory neuropathy and, thus they frequently do not protect their feet from repetitive shear stress or traumatic episodes and ulceration often ensues. We have previously shown that the temperature profile of the plantar aspects of the foot provides a reliable warning of tissue injury and can be effectively used as a preventive modality. In this study we propose to further develop and clinically test a novel infrared-based temperature instrument (TempTouchRM®) that is intended for home use by high-risk diabetic patients. This step-on remote monitoring device will serve as an early warning system for impending ulcers and Charcot fractures. The study’s central hypothesis is that the TempTouchRM device will reduce the incidence of ulcers by providing an accurate, simple, and effective approach to monitor changes in foot temperatures.

Description:

The study’s central hypothesis is that the TempTouchRM device will reduce the incidence of ulcers by providing an accurate, simple, and effective approach to monitor changes in foot temperatures. To study this hypothesis, the following specific aims are proposed:

Aim 1: To develop, validate and implement software and protocols for the following: (i) data acquisition and processing, and (ii) the physician-TempTouchRM communications interface. A state-of-the-art web interface will be developed to allow clinicians to view the stored data for their patients.

Aim 2: To evaluate the effectiveness of the TempTouchRM in reducing the incidence of diabetic foot ulcers among high-risk patients. Our hypothesis is that patients monitored with the TempTouchRM will have fewer foot ulcers and that the ulcers will be less severe. The 110 patient study will comprise two treatment arms: the standard therapy group and the enhanced therapy group The latter will receive standard care plus infrared temperature monitoring using the TempTouchRM daily for 12 months. Elevated temperatures will provide information to the physician that prevention practices should be initiated, such as off-loading, skin care, etc.

Aim 3: To determine the normal range of temperature variations for each individual foot for patients in the Enhanced Therapy and to correlate deviations from this range to the incidence of ulcers. Our previous studies have used the contralateral foot as the control to detect abnormal temperatures. We will investigate the hypothesis that with proper trending of normal foot temperatures, the individual foot can serve as its own control for predicting ulcers.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 110
• Est. completion date: June 2008
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years to 80 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• diagnosis of diabetes by WHO criteria, ability to provide informed consent, 18-80 years of age.

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients with open ulcers or open amputation sites, active Charcot arthropathy, severe peripheral vascular disease, active foot infection, dementia, impaired cognitive function, history of drug or alcohol abuse within one year of the study, or other conditions based on the PI’s clinical judgment.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind, Primary Purpose: Diagnostic

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Diabetes
• Elevated Temperature
• Fever
• Increased Temperatures
• Neuropathic Limb
• Shear Pressure

Intervention

Device:
• TempTouchRM

• Offloading

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Kevin R. Higgins, DPM	San Antonio	Texas

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Diabetica Solutions Inc.	National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	incident foot ulcers		one year
Secondary	temperature spikes on foot zones		one year