High-frequency spinal cord stimulation can provide meaningful relief for patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy who fail conventional management, US researchers say.

In the SENZA-PDN randomised controlled trial, nearly four out of five patients had substantial pain relief three months after starting treatment with a 10-kHz spinal cord stimulation device than when managed with conventional medical treatment.

The study included 216 patients (mean age 61 years, 63% male) with refractory, painful diabetic neuropathy.

Some 103 were randomly allocated to conventional medical management alone and 113 to conventional medical management plus the 10-kHz SCS device made by Nevro Corp, which funded the study.