Accuracy of screening tools in diagnosing PAD in diabetes v3.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Diagnostic accuracy of ankle brachial pressure index, absolute toe pressures, toe-brachial pressure index, transcutaneous oxygen tension and Doppler waveforms in diagnosing peripheral arterial disease confirmed by gold standard duplex ultrasound imaging, in patients with and without diabetes-related foot ulceration.
IRAS ID
252538
Contact name
Ben Freedman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 2 months, 2 days
Research summary
Diabetes is a condition that causes people to have too much glucose (sugar) in their blood. High levels of glucose over a long period of time can result in serious damage to different organs, including the heart and blood vessels.
Damage to the blood vessels can result in a condition known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PAD can reduce or obstruct blood supply to parts of the body such as the arms or legs. Reduced blood supply can increase the chance of developing foot problems, such as a foot wound that won’t heal. If foot problems are left untreated they can lead to amputation and increased risk of death. Prevention and appropriate treatment is therefore imperative.
People with diabetes have an annual foot check to look for any foot problems. During the foot check a trained healthcare professional will look for signs of PAD. Current methods of checking for PAD however are not found to reliable. We therefore aim to look at a range of screening tests to find the best one at detecting PAD.
To do this, new patients attending the Diabetic Foot Clinic at King’s College Hospital will be invited to participate in the study. If they consent to participate, a range of short screening tests will be carried out during their appointment. Participants will then go on to have an ultrasound scan of both legs. This ultrasound scan will determine whether the participant has PAD.
The results will therefore indicate which screening test most accurately indicated the presence of PAD. This screening test could then be used in future foot checks to help reliably detect PAD. This will ensure people with diabetes receive appropriate treatment, reducing the chance of serious complications.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/EE/0034
Date of REC Opinion
28 Jan 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion