Clinical usefulness of oral supplementation with alpha-lipoic Acid, curcumin phytosome, and B-group vitamins in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome undergoing surgical treatment

Giorgio Pajardi, Paola Bortot, Veronica Ponti, Chiara Novelli, Giorgio Pajardi, Paola Bortot, Veronica Ponti, Chiara Novelli

Abstract

We investigated the clinical usefulness of oral supplementation with a combination product containing alpha-lipoic acid, curcumin phytosome, and B-group vitamins in 180 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), scheduled to undergo surgical decompression of the median nerve. Patients in Group A (n = 60) served as controls and did not receive any treatment either before or after surgery. Patients in Group B (n = 60) received oral supplementation twice a day for 3 months both before and after surgery (totaling 6 months of supplementation). Patients in Group C (n = 60) received oral supplementation twice a day for 3 months before surgery only. Patients in Group B showed significantly lower nocturnal symptoms scores compared with Group A subjects at both 40 days and 3 months after surgery (both P values <0.05). Moreover, patients in Group B had a significantly lower number of positive Phalen's tests at 3 months compared with the other study groups (P < 0.05). We conclude that oral supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid, curcumin phytosome, and B-group vitamins twice a day both before and after surgery is safe and effective in CTS patients scheduled to undergo surgical decompression of the median nerve.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Progressive retrograde ligament section (panels a and b).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Changes in nocturnal symptoms observed in Groups A and B in the four study visits. The results indicated that patients in Group B had significantly lower nocturnal symptoms scores compared with Group A subjects at both T2 and T3 visits (both P values < 0.05). Interestingly, this effect was evident despite the higher baseline (T0) nocturnal symptoms scores in Group B patients.

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