The Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
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Abstract
This is a preliminary study of acupuncture effectiveness in treatment of peripheral neuropathy in type-2 diabetic patients at Sao Hai Chaloemphrakiat Hospital in Sao Hai district, Saraburi province, Thailand. The study was conducted in 48 patients divided into two groups: one with acupuncture plus medications as an experimental group and the other with only medications as control group. The drugs used included amitriptyline hydrochloride 10mg/day and vitamin B12, while seven main acupuncture points were Quchi (LI 11), Weiwanxianshu (EX-B3), Shenshu (BL 23), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (LI 4), and Sanyinjiao (SP 6). Four peripheral neurological examination scores were used to indicate the treatment results, namely Neuropathy Symptom Score (NSS), Score Scale of Clinical Symptom for DPN (SS-DPN), Michigan Diabetes Neuropathy Score (MDNS) and Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS).
The results showed that acupuncture combined with medications could markedly reduce numbness in the lower extremities better than medications alone (RR = 0.223, 95% CI = 0.062-0.794). In evaluating reaction by NSS, patients in the control group showed the effective rate of 8.32%, but 91.52% in the experimental group, whereas by SS-DPN, there was improvement in effectiveness in both groups, with the control group at the rate of 45.76%, and 79.04 % in the experimental group. However, it showed no improvement in effectiveness or 0% in the control group while the experimental group revealed the effective rate of 95.68% when evaluating by MDNS. Lastly, in evaluating by NDS, patients with medications alone had the effective rate of 37.45%, but the experimental group 91.52%. Nevertheless, the patient satisfaction with the quality of life was at the same level for both groups.
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References
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