The effectiveness of various approaches in the treatment of peripheral neuropathies in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Introduction. Optimal therapeutic tactics for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) can reduce the risk of complications and improve the quality of life of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of various approaches to the treatment of DPN.Materials and Methods. 67 patients were examined (36 men and 31 women, mean age 59.4 ± 9.7 years), duration of diabetes was at least 7 years. Patients underwent general clinical examinations, neurological examination and diagnosis of DPN with assessment of pain, tactile and vibration sensitivity. All patients underwent ultrasound of the peroneal nerve (PN): the structure and cross-sectional area (CSA) were assessed (≤ 11 mm2 was taken as the norm). Patients with symptoms of PN compression received mini-invasive treatment by perineural administration of 20 mg methylprednisolone under ultrasound control.Results. Clinical manifestations of DPN were identified in 33 (49.3%) cases. Changes in ultrasound PN occurred in 62 (92.5%) patients. 29 patients with echographic changes in PN and asymptomatic DPN received α-lipolic acid and benfotiamine: the CSA of the PN before treatment was 13,2 ± 2,4 mm2, after 6 months –10,4 ± 1,6 mm2; the proportion of people with CSA PN ≥ 12 mm2 before treatment was 82,7%, after 6 months –27,6% (all p 2, after 6 months –13,2 ± 2,2 (all р 2 – to 15.3 ± 3.6 mm2 – after 6 months, р Conclusions. Ultrasound of the nerves can be a valuable method for the early diagnosis of DPN and a tool for choosing treatment tactics. The use of pathogenetic pharmacotherapy alone or in combination with other drugs was associated with satisfactory tolerability, favorable clinical and ultrasound dynamics. The use of mini-invasive treatment with perineural administration of drugs for compartment syndrome was characterized by a positive effect on compression symptoms and ultrasound characteristics of the nerve.