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Transcutaneous Pulsed Radiofrequency for the Treatment of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Pain

23 luglio 2026 aggiornato da: Algiamed Technologies USA, Inc.

Can a Non-interventional Pulsed Radiofrequency Device Relieve Pain and Improve Function in Patients With Diabetic Neuropathy That Are Refractory to Medication? A Single Blind Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial

The purpose of this study is to determine if a non-invasive, electrical pulsed radio frequency (PRF) device can relieve pain and improve function in patients suffering from diabetic nerve pain in their feet, known as pedal diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Patients with this condition often experience severe pain, burning sensations, numbness, and tingling. Current medications for diabetic nerve pain often have unwanted side effects or do not provide sufficient relief.

In this single-blind, randomized trial, participants are assigned to receive either an active PRF treatment or a placebo (sham) treatment. Both treatments involve placing the device safely behind the knee (targeting the sciatic nerve) for 10 minutes, once a week for 3 weeks. The main question this study aims to answer is whether the active PRF treatment reduces nerve pain and symptoms significantly more than the placebo, measured by standard symptom questionnaires over a 6-month period.

Panoramica dello studio

Stato

Completato

Condizioni

Intervento / Trattamento

Descrizione dettagliata

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes, often presenting as a chronic, symmetrical, length-dependent sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Patients frequently experience neuropathic pain, hyperalgesia, allodynia, and paraesthesia in the lower extremities. Because pharmacological treatments for painful DPN are often ineffective and complicated by adverse side effects, there is a significant unmet clinical need for alternative, non-pharmacological therapies. This single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluates the efficacy of a transcutaneous electrical pulsed radio frequency (PRF) device in alleviating the pain and sensory symptoms associated with pedal DPN.

Patients diagnosed with pedal DPN who scored 4 or higher on the DN4 neuropathic pain diagnostic test were randomized into two parallel groups: an active treatment group and a placebo group. To ensure successful patient blinding, participants were advised that they might not feel a physical sensation during the treatment, which aligns with the natural sensory loss (numbness/paraesthesia) commonly experienced by this patient population. Care providers and investigators administering the interventions were unblinded.

The treatment protocol involved mapping the sciatic nerve in the popliteal fossa posteriorly at the knee. The active or placebo device was then applied bilaterally at this site for 10 minutes. Interventions were administered once weekly for three consecutive weeks.

Clinical efficacy was assessed using validated patient-reported outcome measures. The primary outcome evaluated changes in neuropathic pain and symptoms using the DN4 test, while the secondary outcome measured pain severity and interference with daily life using the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF). Data was collected at baseline, immediately following the third treatment, and at subsequent follow-up visits at 1, 3, and 6 months to evaluate both immediate and sustained therapeutic effects.

Tipo di studio

Interventistico

Iscrizione (Effettivo)

92

Fase

  • Non applicabile

Contatti e Sedi

Questa sezione fornisce i recapiti di coloro che conducono lo studio e informazioni su dove viene condotto lo studio.

Luoghi di studio

  • Sud Africa
    • Gauteng
      • Johannesburg, Gauteng, Sud Africa
        • Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology (CDE), Houghton
      • Johannesburg, Gauteng, Sud Africa
        • Clinical Sites - West Johannesburg
      • Johannesburg, Gauteng, Sud Africa
        • Diabetic Clinic at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital
      • Krugersdorp, Gauteng, Sud Africa
        • Clinical Sites - Krugersdorp
      • Pretoria, Gauteng, Sud Africa
        • CDE / Clinical Sites - Pretoria

Criteri di partecipazione

I ricercatori cercano persone che corrispondano a una certa descrizione, chiamata criteri di ammissibilità. Alcuni esempi di questi criteri sono le condizioni generali di salute di una persona o trattamenti precedenti.

Criteri di ammissibilità

Età idonea allo studio

  • Adulto
  • Adulto più anziano

Accetta volontari sani

No

Descrizione

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of pedal Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.
  • A score of 4 or greater than 4/10 on the DN4 Test.
  • Naive to (no previous experience with) the electrical pulsed radio frequency current treatment.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current pregnancy.
  • Presence of a pacemaker.
  • Presence of a peripheral or spinal cord stimulator.
  • Presence of metal implants in the knee and/or hip.

Piano di studio

Questa sezione fornisce i dettagli del piano di studio, compreso il modo in cui lo studio è progettato e ciò che lo studio sta misurando.

Come è strutturato lo studio?

Dettagli di progettazione

  • Scopo principale: Trattamento
  • Assegnazione: Randomizzato
  • Modello interventistico: Assegnazione parallela
  • Mascheramento: Separare

Armi e interventi

Gruppo di partecipanti / Arm
Intervento / Trattamento
Sperimentale: Group A: Active Transcutaneous Pulsed Radio Frequency
Patients in this group received the active electrical pulsed radiofrequency current treatment. The device was applied bilaterally at the sciatic nerve in the popliteal fossa. Each treatment session lasted for 10 minutes. The intervention was administered once weekly for three consecutive weeks.
Dispositivo: NMS 460 Pulsed Radio Frequency Device
Active transcutaneous electrical pulsed radio frequency stimulation. The device is applied bilaterally at the sciatic nerve in the popliteal fossa for 10 minutes, once weekly for 3 consecutive weeks.
Altri nomi:
  • Active PRF
  • tPRF
Comparatore fittizio: Group B: Placebo / Sham Device
Patients in this group received a placebo (sham) treatment designed to mimic the active device. The placebo device was applied bilaterally at the sciatic nerve in the popliteal fossa. Each placebo session lasted for 10 minutes. The sham intervention was administered once weekly for three consecutive weeks.
Dispositivo: Placebo Device
A sham device designed to look and operate like the active device but delivering no therapeutic current. It is applied bilaterally at the sciatic nerve in the popliteal fossa for 10 minutes, once weekly for 3 consecutive weeks to mimic the active treatment.
Altri nomi:
  • Sham PRF

Cosa sta misurando lo studio?

Misure di risultato primarie

Misura del risultato
Misura Descrizione
Lasso di tempo
Change in Neuropathic Pain and Symptoms as Measured by the DN4 Test
Lasso di tempo: Baseline, prior to the third treatment (Week 3), and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the last treatment.
The DN4 (Douleur Neuropathique 4) questionnaire is a screening tool used to identify neuropathic pain and symptoms. It consists of 7 subjective questions regarding sensory symptoms (e.g., burning, painful cold, electric shocks, tingling, pins and needles, numbness) and 3 objective tests (hypoesthesia to touch, pinprick, and tactile allodynia). The maximum score is 10 points. A score of 4 or greater out of 10 represents a positive diagnosis of neuropathic pain. Higher scores indicate a greater severity of neuropathic pain and symptoms.
Baseline, prior to the third treatment (Week 3), and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the last treatment.

Misure di risultato secondarie

Misura del risultato
Misura Descrizione
Lasso di tempo
Change in Pain Severity as Measured by the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF)
Lasso di tempo: Baseline, after the first treatment (Week 1), second treatment (Week 2), third treatment (post-treatment at Week 3), and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the last treatment.
The BPI-SF is a validated patient-reported questionnaire that evaluates pain. This outcome focuses on the Pain Severity subscale, which assesses worst, least, average, and present pain using an 11-point numerical rating scale. Scores range from 0 to 10, where 0 equals "no pain" and 10 equals "pain as bad as you can imagine". Higher scores indicate greater pain severity.
Baseline, after the first treatment (Week 1), second treatment (Week 2), third treatment (post-treatment at Week 3), and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the last treatment.
Change in Pain Interference as Measured by the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF)
Lasso di tempo: Baseline, after the first treatment (Week 1), second treatment (Week 2), third treatment (post-treatment at Week 3), and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the last treatment.
The BPI-SF also evaluates how much pain interferes with various aspects of the patient's daily life. This includes general activities, work, sleep, walking ability, mood, relations with other people, and overall quality of life. Interference is measured using an 11-point numerical rating scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 equals "does not interfere" and 10 equals "completely interferes". Higher scores indicate greater interference with daily functioning.
Baseline, after the first treatment (Week 1), second treatment (Week 2), third treatment (post-treatment at Week 3), and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the last treatment.

Collaboratori e investigatori

Qui è dove troverai le persone e le organizzazioni coinvolte in questo studio.

Sponsor

Algiamed Technologies USA, Inc.

Collaboratori

Xavant Technology (Pty) Ltd

Investigatori

  • Investigatore principale: Phyllis P Berger, Faculty: University of the Witwatersrand
  • Direttore dello studio: Stanley S Landau, Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology (CDE)

Studiare le date dei record

Queste date tengono traccia dell'avanzamento della registrazione dello studio e dell'invio dei risultati di sintesi a ClinicalTrials.gov. I record degli studi e i risultati riportati vengono esaminati dalla National Library of Medicine (NLM) per assicurarsi che soddisfino specifici standard di controllo della qualità prima di essere pubblicati sul sito Web pubblico.

Studia le date principali

Inizio studio (Effettivo)

1 dicembre 2016

Completamento primario (Effettivo)

1 agosto 2019

Completamento dello studio (Effettivo)

1 agosto 2019

Date di iscrizione allo studio

Primo inviato

21 luglio 2026

Primo inviato che soddisfa i criteri di controllo qualità

23 luglio 2026

Primo Inserito (Effettivo)

24 luglio 2026

Aggiornamenti dei record di studio

Ultimo aggiornamento pubblicato (Effettivo)

24 luglio 2026

Ultimo aggiornamento inviato che soddisfa i criteri QC

23 luglio 2026

Ultimo verificato

1 luglio 2026

Maggiori informazioni

Termini relativi a questo studio

Parole chiave

Termini MeSH pertinenti aggiuntivi

Altri numeri di identificazione dello studio

  • M161037

Piano per i dati dei singoli partecipanti (IPD)

Hai intenzione di condividere i dati dei singoli partecipanti (IPD)?

NO

Descrizione del piano IPD

Individual participant data will not be publicly shared in a secondary data repository. De-identified aggregate data and study findings are presented in the primary manuscript and supporting protocol documents.

Informazioni su farmaci e dispositivi, documenti di studio

Studia un prodotto farmaceutico regolamentato dalla FDA degli Stati Uniti

No

Studia un dispositivo regolamentato dalla FDA degli Stati Uniti

No

prodotto fabbricato ed esportato dagli Stati Uniti

No

Queste informazioni sono state recuperate direttamente dal sito web clinicaltrials.gov senza alcuna modifica. In caso di richieste di modifica, rimozione o aggiornamento dei dettagli dello studio, contattare register@clinicaltrials.gov. Non appena verrà implementata una modifica su clinicaltrials.gov, questa verrà aggiornata automaticamente anche sul nostro sito web .

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