Intensified Insulin Treatment and Skin Microcirculation; Its Relation to Ischemic Foot Ulcer in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Long-term Follow-up Study

The Stockholm Diabetes Intervention Study (SDIS) aimed to determine whether intensified insulin treatment were feasible and led to less serious diabetic complications. 102 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus were randomiz (October 1982 to March 1984) to intensified conventional treatment (ICT; n=48) or standard treatment (ST; n=54). The randomized SDIS study lasted for 7.5 years, whereas 96 patients were fully evaluated. Thereafter patients were assigned to their regular clinical visits.

In the present study, 96 patients from the SDIS study were asked to participate in current study and to investigate their skin microcirculation, in which 72 patients agreed (ICT; n=35 vs. ST; n=37). Also, nineteen healthy subjects participated as controls for the method of iontophoresis, with no intention to be followed-up. Exclusions criteria were; any history or ongoing ischemic foot ulcer or peripheral artery disease or osteoartropathy. The iontophoresis investigation took place 5.5 years ± 2 months, after the primary randomization ceased (7.5 years). All participants (except the control subjects) were then followed-up until first time hospitalization for ischemic foot ulcer or until 31 december 2011.