Original Articles

Treatment of Diabetic Neuropathy With γ-Linolenic Acid

  1. Harry Keen, FRCP,
  2. Jose Payan, FRCP,
  3. Jaffar Allawi, MD,
  4. James Walker, MRCP,
  5. Goran A Jamal, MD,
  6. Andrew I Weir, FRCP,
  7. Lesley M Henderson, MRCP,
  8. Elizabeth A Bissessar, MRCPI,
  9. Peter J Watkins, MD,
  10. Michael Sampson, MRCP,
  11. Edwin A M Gale, FRCP,
  12. John Scarpello, MD,
  13. Hugh G Boddie, FRCP,
  14. Kevin J Hardy, MRCP,
  15. Peter K Thomas, FRCP,
  16. Peter Misra, MB BS,
  17. Jukka-Pekka Halonen, MD and
  18. The γ-Linolenic Acid Multicenter Trial Group
  1. Guy's Hospital Campus, UMDS London Southern General Hospital Glasgow King's College Hospital London St. Bartholomew's Hospital London North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary Stoke-on-Trent Royal Free Hospital London, UK The Rehabilitation Research Centre of the Social Insurance Institution Turku, Finland
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Professor H. Keen, Department of Medicine, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK.
Diabetes Care 1993 Jan; 16(1): 8-15. https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.16.1.8

Abstract

Objective— To compare the effects of placebo and GLA on the course of mild diabetic neuropathy over 1 yr.

Research Design and Methods— We entered 111 patients with mild diabetic neuropathy from seven centers into a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel study of GLA at a dose of 480 mg/day. MNCV, SNAP, CMAP, hot and cold thresholds, sensation, tendon reflexes, and muscle strength were assessed by standard tests in upper and lower limbs.

Results— For all 16 parameters, the change over 1 yr in response to GLA was more favorable than the change with placebo, and for 13 parameters, the difference was statistically significant. Sex, age, and type of diabetes did not influence the result, but treatment was more effective in relatively well-controlled than in poorly-controlled diabetic patients.

Conclusions— GLA had a beneficial effect on the course of diabetic neuropathy.

  • Received November 1, 1991.
  • Accepted August 13, 1992.

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January 1993, 16(1)
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Treatment of Diabetic Neuropathy With γ-Linolenic Acid
Harry Keen, Jose Payan, Jaffar Allawi, James Walker, Goran A Jamal, Andrew I Weir, Lesley M Henderson, Elizabeth A Bissessar, Peter J Watkins, Michael Sampson, Edwin A M Gale, John Scarpello, Hugh G Boddie, Kevin J Hardy, Peter K Thomas, Peter Misra, Jukka-Pekka Halonen, The γ-Linolenic Acid Multicenter Trial Group
Diabetes Care Jan 1993, 16 (1) 8-15; DOI: 10.2337/diacare.16.1.8
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