Alpha Lipoic Acid for Treatment of Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic Neuropathy Clinical Trial

Official title:

Treatment With Alpha-lipoic Acid Over 16 Weeks in Type 2 Diabetic Patients With Symptomatic Polyneuropathy Who Responded to Initial 4-week High-dose Loading

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02439879
• Other study ID #: UPAEP25082009
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 4
• First received: May 4, 2015
• Last updated: February 2, 2016
• Start date: December 2009
• Est. completion date: December 2010

Study information

• Verified date: February 2016
• Source: Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Mexico: Secretaria de Salud
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Patients with diabetic neuropathy and total symptoms score(TSS) >7 points were invited to this open multicenter study. Patients were free of pain medications and severe diabetic complications .Patients started alpha lipoic acid (ALA)1800 mg for 4 weeks. Patients with a decrease >3 points in the TSS were randomly allocated to 600 mg of ALA (ALA group) or no medications (ALA withdrawal) for 16 weeks. In each visit investigators evaluated any change in the TSS and the necessity of rescue medication to control symptoms (mainly pain). At the end of the study investigators compared between ALA and ALA withdrawal groups TSS levels and the frequency of use of rescue medications. Physicians were free to manage glucose to maintain Hba1c close to the ADA target (HbA1c <7%).

Description:

This trial was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the ethics committee of Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla, Mexico. All participants provided a written informed consent. Type 2 diabetic patients (according to American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria) with symptomatic diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) defined as the presence of neuropathic symptoms (pain, paresthesias, or numbness) were invited to participate in this open-label multicenter trial. Inclusion criteria were: total symptom score (TSS) >7 points, HbA1c<10%, and serum creatinine <2 mg/dl. Exclusion criteria were evidence of active cardiovascular disease, malignancy, or any other conditions causing neuropathic pain, use of analgesic, antidepressant, or antiepileptic drugs, or any other medication aimed to relief neuropathic pain. In addition, child-bearing female patients not using any effective birth control method and under surveillance of a board-certified gynecologist were excluded.

Phase 1. All patients meeting inclusion criteria received 600 mg of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) (Meda Pharma, Germany) orally tid, 30 min after each main meal for 4 weeks. During phase 1, no medication for relief of neuropathic pain was allowed. Each participating site was in charge to maintain glycemic control based on the investigator's judgment attempting that all patients were treated according to the american diabetes association (ADA) guidelines. All patients were seen once a week, and at each site visit, TSS was assessed along with a pill count to ensure drug adherence, presence of adverse events and, if needed, treatment adjustments to maintain glucose levels within the ADA targets. Patients with a TSS reduction >3 points by the end of phase 1 were selected to proceed with phase 2 of the study. Patients with a decrease <3 points in TSS or that used other neuropathic pain drugs were excluded from study phase 2.

Phase 2. Patients with a decrease of ≥3 TSS points after phase 1 were randomized to receive 600 mg of ALA orally qd for 16 weeks or ALA withdrawal. Patients were scheduled to visit the clinic every 2-3 weeks for TSS, monofilament and assessment. If needed, the patient was prescribed analgesic rescue medication which was monitored at each visit. Primary endpoint was the change in TSS in the two groups studied in phase 2 and the frequency of use of rescue medications Neurological examination was performed at baseline and after phase 1 and 2 including the monofilament test, vibration perception threshold (VPT), and ankle reflexes. A 10g nylon monofilament (Thio-Feel ® Meda Pharma, Germany) was applied to four anatomical sites in each foot (1st, 3rd and 5th metatarsal heads and plantar surface of distal hallux) as previously described (correct answer = 1 point, with a maximum of 4 points in each foot). Eight correct answers were considered normal, 1-7 correct answers indicated reduced monofilament sensation, while absent sensation was assumed if no answer was correct. VPT was evaluated using a 128-Hz tuning fork (Thio-Vib ®, Meda Pharma,Germany) applied bilaterally at the tip of the great toe. Responses were categorized as abnormal (no perception of vibration), present (examiner perceives vibration <10 seconds after patient reported disappearance of vibration perception) and reduced (examiner perceives vibration >10 sec after patient reported disappearance of vibration perception). Ankle reflexes were graded as normal, decreased, and absent

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 45
• Est. completion date: December 2010
• Est. primary completion date: December 2010
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: N/A and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Type 2 diabetic patients (according to American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria)

• Symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy

• Total Symptom Score (TSS) >7 points,

• HbA1c<10%,

• Serum creatinine <2 mg/dl.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Active cardiovascular disease

• Malignancy

• Any other conditions causing neuropathic pain

• Use of analgesic, antidepressant, or antiepileptic drugs, or any other medication aimed to relief neuropathic pain.

• Child-bearing female patients not using any effective birth control method and under surveillance of a board-certified gynecologist

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Diabetic Neuropathies
• Diabetic Neuropathy

Intervention

Drug:
• Alpha lipoic acid
Alpha lipoic acid 1800 mg PO divided in 3 doses for 4 weeks . If total symptoms score decreased >3 points patients received alpha lipoic acid 600 mg PO each day or no treatment for 16 weeks.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
n/a

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla

References & Publications (6)

Brownrigg JR, de Lusignan S, McGovern A, Hughes C, Thompson MM, Ray KK, Hinchliffe RJ. Peripheral neuropathy and the risk of cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Heart. 2014 Dec;100(23):1837-43. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2014-305657. Epub 2014 A — View Citation

Finnerup NB, Attal N, Haroutounian S, McNicol E, Baron R, Dworkin RH, Gilron I, Haanpää M, Hansson P, Jensen TS, Kamerman PR, Lund K, Moore A, Raja SN, Rice AS, Rowbotham M, Sena E, Siddall P, Smith BH, Wallace M. Pharmacotherapy for neuropathic pain in a — View Citation

Papanas N, Ziegler D. Efficacy of a-lipoic acid in diabetic neuropathy. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2014 Dec;15(18):2721-31. doi: 10.1517/14656566.2014.972935. Epub 2014 Nov 10. Review. — View Citation

Ziegler D, Buchholz S, Sohr C, Nourooz-Zadeh J, Roden M. Oxidative stress predicts progression of peripheral and cardiac autonomic nerve dysfunction over 6 years in diabetic patients. Acta Diabetol. 2015 Feb;52(1):65-72. doi: 10.1007/s00592-014-0601-3. Ep — View Citation

Ziegler D, Low PA, Litchy WJ, Boulton AJ, Vinik AI, Freeman R, Samigullin R, Tritschler H, Munzel U, Maus J, Schütte K, Dyck PJ. Efficacy and safety of antioxidant treatment with a-lipoic acid over 4 years in diabetic polyneuropathy: the NATHAN 1 trial. D — View Citation

Ziegler D, Papanas N, Vinik AI, Shaw JE. Epidemiology of polyneuropathy in diabetes and prediabetes. Handb Clin Neurol. 2014;126:3-22. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-53480-4.00001-1. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Total Symptoms Score	Total symptoms score is a summation of presence, severity, and duration of the four main positive neuropathic sensory symptoms: lancinating/stabbing pain, burning pain, paresthesia, and asleep numbness	20 weeks	No