AIM:
To estimate the late duration of the effect of 3-week intravenous alpha-lipoic acid (alpha-LA) administration.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS:
The study included patients with symptoms of myodiabetic polyneuropathy. The authors studied trends in neuropathic symptoms by the TSS scale and neuropathic deficit by the NIS-LL scale after 3-week intravenous alpha-LA (600 mg/day) administration. Control follow-up visits were made at weeks 8 and 30 of the study.
RESULTS:
In alpha-LA-treated patients, the mean TSS score dropped from 9.46 +/- 1.01 to 3.29 +/- 1.49 after intravenous alpha-LA administration and continued to decrease to 260 +/- 1.18 and 4.39 +/- 201 scores at follow-up weeks 8 and 30, respectively. In the placebo group, these were 9.78 +/- 1.23, 6.16 +/- 1.95, 6.52 +/- 1.61, and 736 +/- 1.31 scores at weeks 3, 8, and 30, respectively; p < 0.05). In the alpha-LA group, NIS-LL scores fell from 8.65 +/- 3.46 to 6.01 +/- 3.12 at therapy week 3, to 6.11 +/- 3.36, at week 8, and to 7.68 +/- 3.68 at week 30 and in the placebo group, these decreased from 8.35 +/- 3.84 to 7.81 +/- 3.51, 7.89 +/- 3.72, and 8.32 +/- 3.49 scores at weeks 3, and 8, respectively; p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION:
. Alleviated neuropathic symptoms persisted within 6 months after 3-week intravenous alpha-LA injection. Reduced neuropathic deficit did within 8 weeks after initiation of alpha-LA therapy.