Electrodermal activity and heart rate variability for detection of peripheral abnormalities in type 2 diabetes: A review

Abstract

Modern medicine exhibits an upward trend towards non-invasive methods for early detection of disease and long-term monitoring of patients’ health. Diabetes mellitus and its complications are a promising area for implementation of new medical diagnostic devices. One of the most serious complications of diabetes is diabetic foot ulcer. The main causes responsible for diabetic foot ulcer are ischemia caused by peripheral artery disease and diabetic neuropathy caused by polyol pathway-induced oxidative stress. Autonomic neuropathy impairs function of sweat glands, which can be measured by electrodermal activity. On the other hand, autonomic neuropathy leads to changes in heart rate variability, which is used to assess autonomic regulation of the sinoatrial node. Both methods are enough sensitive to detect pathological changes caused by autonomic neuropathy and are promising screening methods for early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy, which could prevent the onset of diabetic ulcer.

Heart Rate Variability and Pulse Rate Variability: Do Anatomical Location and Sampling Rate Matter?

“…These metrics have demonstrated high clinical utility in their ability to discriminate pathophysiological differences between healthy and clinical populations (e.g., myocardial infarction, diabetes, renal failure) (reviewed in: [4]). With the constant development and expansion of technology, a plethora of commercial devices are being developed claiming they can capture cardiovascular activity during activities of daily life [5][6][7][8][9]. These claims are often stated without proper reporting of their validity.…”