Treatment of Symptomatic Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy with Thioctic Acid ( Thioctacid(R) )

Park, Cheol Young; Kim, Young Seol; Oh, Seung Joon; Woo, Jeong Taek; Kim, Sung Woon; Yang, In Myung; Kim, Jin Woo; Choi, Young Kil

Focused Issue

Diabetes Monit 2001;2(1):63-73.

당뇨병성 다발성 신경병증에 대한 Thioctic acid 의 유효성 및 안정성에 관한 연구

박철영, 김영설, 오승준, 우정택, 김성훈, 양인명, 김진우, 최영길

Treatment of Symptomatic Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy with Thioctic Acid ( Thioctacid(R) )

Cheol Young Park, Young Seol Kim, Seung Joon Oh, Jeong Taek Woo, Sung Woon Kim, In Myung Yang, Jin Woo Kim, Young Kil Choi

Abstract

Background
The study was peformed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral treatment with the antioxidant α-lipoic acid (Thioctcid??) in diabetic patients with peripheral polyneuropathy. Methods: Thioctacid?? 600㎎ was orally administered once a day for 8 weeks in 61 diabetic patients with peripheral polyneuropathy. Neuropathic symptom(pain, burning, paresthesia, and numbness) were scored before, and of 4 and 8 weeks after treatment. In addition, neuropathy by the physician and patients at the end of treatment. The primary endpoint was the response role after 8 weeks treatment, defined as an improvement in the total symptom score of at least more than 30%. Results: Efficacy was evaluated among forty-four patients who had completely the study according to the protocol and safety was evaluated among all of 61 patients who had taken the study medication. The response rate after 8 weeks was 77.3%. The total symptom score was significantly decreased of 4-week, and further decreased of 8-week. All the individual scores for neuropathic symptom were also significantly reduced of 4-week and further decreased at 8-week. Conclusion: These finding indicate that oral treatment with thioctacid?? at a dose of 600㎎/day for 8 weeks will improve peripheral polyneuropathy in diabetic patients, without causing any serious adverse events.

Key Words: Thioctic acid , a - lipoic acid , Diabetic polyneuropathy , TSS , Total Symptom Score