Symptom relief observed with treatment, with dose-related improvement in total symptoms score

TUESDAY, Dec. 5, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with diabetic sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy (DSPN), alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is beneficial for the primary outcome of total symptoms score (TSS), according to a review and meta-analysis published online Aug. 18 in Nutrients.

Ruey-Yu Hsieh, from Taipei Medical University in Taiwan, and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis to assess the effects of oral-administered ALA versus placebo in patients with DSPN. Ten randomized controlled trials (1,242 participants) were included and reviewed.

The researchers found favorable results for the primary outcome of TSS with ALA treatment, with evidence of a dose-related trend, as well as for neurological disability score and global satisfaction score. ALA treatment did not produce favorable results for the visual analog scale score, neuropathy impaired score-lower limb, or nerve conduction study results.

"Treatment with ALA had favorable effects on sensory symptoms, but not on muscle power, VPT [vibration perception threshold], or nerve conduction. Moreover, ALA provided symptom relief with a dose-dependent response relative to the placebo for TSS and global satisfaction," the authors write. "Nutritional supplementation for diabetic complications may be a preventive strategy in diabetic care."