Balancing Treatment Outcomes and Medication Burden among Patients with Symptomatic Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

This project is a continuation of a study we recently conducted to identify and prioritize treatment outcomes of relevance to patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). DPN affects 30% to 50% of all adults with diabetes and symptoms such as pain, tingling, numbness or a burning sensation in the extremities can be sudden and severe. Currently, only two prescription medications are approved for treatment of DPN symptoms, though many more are routinely used in practice. Clinical trials suggest that commonly used therapies have similar efficacy with respect to pain relief. However, side effects are common and little is known about the relative efficacy of these medications in addressing other patient-valued outcomes (e.g., quality of life). The goal of the proposal is to evaluate whether a clinical decision aid that includes information on patient treatment preferences can improve treatment persistence and outcomes that are important to patients.

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