Summary: In a qualitative interview study nested within the ACUDPN randomised trial, nearly all of the ten patients interviewed described positive experiences with acupuncture for diabetic peripheral neuropathy and reported symptom relief, with many motivated by a wish to reduce medication.
PICO Summary
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Population | 10 participants with diabetic peripheral neuropathy interviewed within a two-arm RCT (ACUDPN); Germany. |
| Intervention | Semi-structured qualitative interviews about the experience of receiving acupuncture for neuropathy symptoms. |
| Comparison | Qualitative (no statistical comparator); findings set against the parent trial results. |
| Outcome | All but one participant reported positive experiences and a reduction in neuropathy symptoms. Many expressed dissatisfaction with existing treatment options and a desire to reduce medication; acceptance of acupuncture was high, especially among those wanting to cut drugs. Findings aligned with the RCT results. |
Expert Commentary
This study deserves to be read for what it is, a qualitative exploration of patient experience, not a measure of efficacy, and the earlier framing as a controlled comparison overstated it. As qualitative work, its value lies in the texture it adds: patients with diabetic neuropathy described real dissatisfaction with current options, a strong wish to reduce medication, and a high acceptance of acupuncture, with nearly all of the small interviewed group reporting symptom relief. That tells us acupuncture is acceptable and perceived as helpful by motivated patients, which matters for adherence and shared decision-making. What it cannot tell us is whether acupuncture actually works, with only ten interviewees, no control comparison, and self-selected trial participants, the positive accounts are vulnerable to expectation and selection effects, and the authors rightly position this alongside, not in place of, the quantitative trial. Can I use this with my patients? In a limited, honest way. It supports taking seriously a patient’s interest in acupuncture for neuropathic symptoms and acknowledging it as an acceptable adjunct, particularly for those keen to reduce medication, while I am candid that perceived benefit in interviews is not proof of effect, and that proven neuropathic therapies remain the foundation.
References
Bolster M, Dietzel J, Habermann IV, Hörder S, Brinkhaus B, Stöckigt B. Patients’ experiences with acupuncture for diabetic polyneuropathy as part of a randomized controlled trial (ACUDPN) – a qualitative study. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2025;25(1):317. doi:10.1186/s12906-025-05064-w