Dynamic 3D shape of the plantar surface of the foot using coded structured light:a technical report

The foot provides a crucial contribution to the balance and stability of the musculoskeletal system, and accurate foot measurements are important in applications such as designing custom insoles/footwear. With better understanding of the dynamic behavior of the foot, dynamic foot reconstruction techniques are surfacing as useful ways to properly measure the shape of the foot. This paper presents a novel design and implementation of a structured-light prototype system providing dense three dimensional (3D) measurements of the foot in motion. The input to the system is a video sequence of a foot during a single step; the output is a 3D reconstruction of the plantar surface of the foot for each frame of the input. Methods Engineering and clinical tests were carried out to test the accuracy and repeatability of the system. Accuracy experiments involved imaging a planar surface from different orientations and elevations and measuring the fitting errors of the data to a plane. Repeatability experiments were done using reconstructions from 27 different subjects, where for each one both right and left feet were reconstructed in static and dynamic conditions over two different days. Results The static accuracy of the system was found to be 0.3 mm with planar test objects. In tests with real feet, the system proved repeatable, with reconstruction differences between trials one week apart averaging 2.4 mm (static case) and 2.8 mm (dynamic case). Conclusion The results obtained in the experiments show positive accuracy and repeatability results when compared to current literature. The design also shows to be superior to the systems available in the literature in several factors. Further studies need to be done to quantify the reliability of the system in clinical environment

The use of 3D surface scanning for the measurement and assessment of the human foot

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A number of surface scanning systems with the ability to quickly and easily obtain 3D digital representations of the foot are now commercially available. This review aims to present a summary of the reported use of these technologies in footwear development, the design of customised orthotics, and investigations for other ergonomic purposes related to the foot.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The PubMed and ScienceDirect databases were searched. Reference lists and experts in the field were also consulted to identify additional articles. Studies in English which had 3D surface scanning of the foot as an integral element of their protocol were included in the review.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty-eight articles meeting the search criteria were included. Advantages and disadvantages of using 3D surface scanning systems are highlighted. A meta-analysis of studies using scanners to investigate the changes in foot dimensions during varying levels of weight bearing was carried out.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Modern 3D surface scanning systems can obtain accurate and repeatable digital representations of the foot shape and have been successfully used in medical, ergonomic and footwear development applications. The increasing affordability of these systems presents opportunities for researchers investigating the foot and for manufacturers of foot related apparel and devices, particularly those interested in producing items that are customised to the individual. Suggestions are made for future areas of research and for the standardization of the protocols used to produce foot scans.</p

A randomized, open-label, comparative, crossover trial on preference, efficacy, and safety profiles of lispro insulin u-100 versus concentrated lispro insulin u-200 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a possible contribution to greater treatment adherence

Background: Several outstanding pharmacological advances making innovative drugs sophisticateddevices available during the last few years. Nevertheless too many patients still disappointingly fail to meetthe metabolic targets suggested by current guidelines. Incorrect insulin administration techniques may greatly affect metabolic control in T2DM people. The aim of our study was to compare glycemic control associated with a concentrated insulin analog preparation (U-200 lispro) in people with T2DM to the one observed with standard U-100 lispro. The secondary endpoint of our study was patients’ preference and performance ratings of U-200 lispro. Methods: 126 patients with T2DM were enrolled. They were also assessed for limited joint mobility syndrome (LJMS),defined as limitation in at least two anatomical areas of the dominant upper extremity. After a 4-weekstructured insulin injection education period. Half of them were randomized to U-100 lispro, half to U-200 and after 12&nbsp;weeks they were switched to the other preparation for 12&nbsp;weeks. At the end a questionnaire was also administered to investigate patient preference. Results: No significant variation in fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, severe or mild hypoglycemic rate and daily fast-acting insulin analog dose was observed with U-100 lispro while U-200 lispro treatment was associated with a significant improvement of all the above mentioned parameters and with around 20% decrease in insulin requirement. Moreover patients’ answers to the questionnaire pointed out a higher preference for U-200 lispro for continuing treatment due to fewer difficulties completing injection. Discussion: The explanation of better metabolic results with the U-200 device might be the lower inner piston inertia and volume and shorter duration of a complete injection. Conclusions: Checking for LJIMS before insulin prescription could be adopted as a standard practiceaimed at choosing the most suitable device for patient's specific characteristics and abilities. The use of U-200 lispro might improve treatment adherence and metabolic control. This would also result intocost reduction by saving about half the amount of pens per year and of time spent to both fill prescriptionand dump the pharmacy

IDegLira for the Real-World Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes in Italy: Protocol and Interim Results from the REX Observational Study

Introduction: IDegLira was shown to maintain glycemic control while reducing risk of hypoglycemia and body weight gain. The REX study was designed to generate real-world evidence on the use of IDegLira in Italian clinical practice in two different subgroups of patients, those switching to IDegLira from a basal&nbsp;insulin-supported oral therapy (BOT group) and those from a basal plus bolus insulin regimen (BB group). Methods: Adult patients with T2D diagnosed for at least 12&nbsp;months and having started IDegLira 2–3&nbsp;months prior to enrolment, coming from a BOT or BB regimen, were enrolled in this multicenter observational prospective cohort study conducted in 28 Italian centers. This paper presents the methodological framework of the REX study and provides the interim analysis results describing the patients’ baseline characteristics and the clinical reasons for IDegLira treatment initiation. Results: Of the 360 patients enrolled in the REX study, 331 were considered eligible for this interim analysis, 76.4% in the BOT and 23.6% in the BB group. Mean (SD) HbA1c was 8.5% (1.4) in the BOT and 8.2% (1.7) in the BB group. The most common T2D complications were diabetic macroangiopathy and diabetic nephropathy in both groups. The median (interquartile range) insulin daily dose before IDegLira was 15.0 (10.0–20.0) units in the BOT group and 42 (30.0–52.0) in the BB group. Oral antidiabetics were taken by 98% and 51.3% of patients, respectively. The main reason for switching to IDegLira was the inadequate glycemic control in the BOT group (86% of patients), and the intent to simplify the treatment in the BB group (66.7%). Conclusions: IdegLira is initiated after BOT in inadequately controlled patients to improve glycemic control, whereas in BB patients it is used to simplify the therapeutic regimen. Final results of the REX study will shed light on patients’ outcomes after IdegLira treatment under routine clinical care