Evidence mapPaperPMID 40050870Full record

Trial reportBMC complementary medicine and therapies2025

Nonpharmaceutical treatment of distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy in diabetic patients: an unblinded randomized clinical trial.

Alexandra Strobel, Volha Laputsina, Viktoria Heinze, Susanne Schulz, Andreas Wienke, Marco Reer, Axel Schlitt

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05622630 (Prospective Randomized Study of Physical Therapy in Patients With Diabetic Polyneuropathy), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05622630 nacompletednot on this map

Prospective Randomized Study of Physical Therapy in Patients With Diabetic Polyneuropathy

TypeinterventionalSponsorParacelsus Harz Clinic Bad Suderode.Ran2019 to 2022Enrolled68ConditionsDiabetic PolyneuropathyArmsFour-cell bath, Gravel bath
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Alexandra StrobelInstitute of Medical Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Informatics, Martin-Luther-University Halle, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Volha LaputsinaDepartment of Cardiology and Diabetology, Paracelsus-Harz-Clinic, Quedlinburg, Germany.
Viktoria HeinzeDepartment of Cardiology and Diabetology, Paracelsus-Harz-Clinic, Quedlinburg, Germany.
Susanne SchulzDepartment for Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, University Clinic Halle (Saale), Halle (Saale), Germany.
Andreas WienkeInstitute of Medical Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Informatics, Martin-Luther-University Halle, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Marco ReerDepartment of Cardiology and Diabetology, Paracelsus-Harz-Clinic, Quedlinburg, Germany.
Axel SchlittDepartment of Cardiology and Diabetology, Paracelsus-Harz-Clinic, Quedlinburg, Germany. axel.schlitt@pkd.de.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFor Diabetic polyneuropathy, the most prevalent form of polyneuropathy, there is a lack of evidence-based treatment options. Current approaches include pain management, alpha-lipoic acid, and antidepressants. Physical interventions, such as electrical stimulation (four-chamber galvanic bath) have been suggested but have limited supporting evidence. Heated granular stone therapy is another option to consider.

methodsAn unblinded randomized controlled trials was conducted in 68 diabetic patients with distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy undergoing rehabilitation for diabetes mellitus as a primary or secondary diagnosis in the Paracelsus-Harz-Clinic (Quedlinburg, Germany). Patients were randomized into either the intervention group receiving heated granulated stone footbaths, or the control group receiving four-chamber galvanic baths. The primary endpoint was the assessment of any change in polyneuropathy using a vibration sensation test (Rydel-Seiffer scale, 8/8) from admission to discharge, analyzed by t-test and multivariable regression. Additionally, serum TNF-α and IL-6 as potential markers for polyneuropathy were compared over time using paired t-test.

resultsThe mean age of the patients was 66.8 ± 7.8 years; 63.2% were male and mean BMI was 32.2 ± 6.4 kg/m

conclusionDiabetic patients with distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy benefit from physical treatment with administration of electrical stimulation (four-chamber galvanic bath) or a therapy with heated granulated stones three times a week. Our results indicate that heated stone therapy may be a potential treatment option. However, further research is required to understand the underlying biological processes.

trial registrationThe study was registered in clinical trials.gov (identifier: NCT05622630, registration date: 18/11/2022).

Indexed as

Diabetic NeuropathiesAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedDiabetes mellitusDistal sensorimotor polyneuropathyPhysical treatment

Identifiers

PMID40050870
PMCPMC11887202

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.