The Lancet – Effective treatment pathways exist for DPNP

Diabetic neuropathy affects 8–25% of patients with type 2 diabetes, but this rises to 42% in those followed up for 10 years. ¹ Pain is common in diabetic neuropathy, with almost half of these patients having neuropathic pain. ² Additionally, diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) is an independent risk factor for worse quality of life, depression, anxiety, and sleep. ³ The 2022 guideline from the American Academy of Neurology recommended that gabapentinoids, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and sodium channel blockers are all effective at reducing neuropathic pain in DPNP. ⁴ This guideline also highlighted current limitations in the literature including a scarcity of comparative effectiveness studies; studies with quality of life, depression, anxiety, and sleep outcomes; data on combination therapy; and long-term studies.