title: Advanced glycation end products assessed by skin autofluorescence: a new marker of diabetic foot ulceration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) may contribute to diabetic foot ulceration (DFU). Our goal was to determine whether AGEs measurement by skin autofluorescence (SAF) would be an additional marker for DFU management.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed SAF analysis in 66 patients with a history of DFU prospectively included and compared the results with those of 84 control patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy without DFU. We then assessed the prognostic value of SAF levels on the healing rate in the DFU group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean SAF value was significantly higher in the DFU group in comparison with the control group, even after adjustment for other diabetes complications (3.2±0.6 arbitrary units vs. 2.9±0.6 arbitrary units; P=0.001). In the DFU group, 58 (88%) patients had an active wound at inclusion. The mean DFU duration was 14±13 weeks. The healing rate was 47% after 2 months of appropriate foot care. A trend for a correlation between SAF levels and healing time in DFU subjects was observed but was not statistically significant (P=0.06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased SAF levels are associated with neuropathic foot complications in diabetes. Use of SAF measurement to assess foot vulnerability and to predict DFU events in high-risk patients appears to be promising.
authors: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hospital Center of Lyon-Sud, Pierre Bénite, France. julien.vouillarmet@chu-lyon.fr
authors: Julien
authors: J
authors: Vouillarmet
authors: Delphine
authors: D
authors: Maucort-Boulch
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Michon
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Thivolet
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced