Breakthrough in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Diagnosis and Management

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a painful and often debilitating condition affecting over 18 million Americans, has long been a challenge for healthcare professionals. The recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) priority approval of Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) for managing pain caused by diabetic nerve damage marks a significant milestone in the treatment of this condition. Meanwhile, NeuroMetrix's NC-stat System, which allows for rapid and accurate nerve conduction studies, has gained widespread acceptance among physicians, with over 1,900 practices utilizing the technology. This advancement has the potential to improve patient care, reduce healthcare costs, and increase the use of the NC-stat System by physicians.

Key Takeaways:

• The American Diabetes Association estimates that over 18 million Americans have diabetes, with more than half experiencing diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) or nerve damage.
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathy symptoms include pain, unusual sensations, and numbness, affecting up to three-quarters of people with DPN.
• Nerve conduction studies (NCS) are considered the most accurate and objective way to diagnose and stage DPN.
• The NEUROMetrix NC-stat System allows physicians to perform nerve conduction studies in their practice, reducing the need for referrals to specialists and improving diagnosis accuracy.
• The NC-stat System is present in over 1,900 physician practices, enabling thousands of physicians to diagnose DPN presence and severity accurately.
• The FDA approval of Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) for managing pain caused by DPN underscores a direct connection between diagnosis and treatment of patients with DPN.
• The NC-stat System played a crucial role in the clinical trials that led to FDA approval, demonstrating the safety and efficacy of duloxetine.

Statistics:

• Over 18 million Americans have diabetes (Source: American Diabetes Association).
• More than half of people with diabetes experience DPN or nerve damage (Source: American Diabetes Association).
• Nerve conduction studies (NCS) are the most accurate and objective way to diagnose and stage DPN.
• The NC-stat System is present in over 1,900 physician practices (Source: NeuroMetrix press release).
• Thousands of physicians utilize the NC-stat System to diagnose DPN presence and severity accurately (Source: NeuroMetrix press release).

Sources:

• NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net, October 18, 2004
• American Diabetes Association
• Lilly Research Laboratories
• NeuroMetrix, Inc. (Nasdaq:NURO) press release