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Low-Dose Naltrexone for the Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy

NCT04678895 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 35

Last updated 2026-05-06

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Diabetes affects more than 30 million people in the United States and is a leading cause of morbidity. Over 25% diabetics also suffer from debilitating painful diabetic neuropathy in the lower legs and feet. This pain can be severe, difficult to control, and have a significant negative impact on quality of life. Opioid medications have historically been a mainstay of treatment for this pain, despite the risks. As the death toll from the U.S. opioid epidemic continues to rise, the need for quality alternative non-opioid medications to treat pain becomes more urgent. One of these potential medications is Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN). This drug is reported to work by enhancing the body's natural pain relieving mechanisms and decreases inflammation by targeting specific cells called microglia which have been shown to influence chronic pain. LDN has been shown to be a safe medication with minimal side effects. Its efficacy has been demonstrated in other painful conditions but has never been fully studied for treating painful diabetic neuropathy. The goal of this randomized, placebo-controlled trial is to determine if LDN is effective for treating the pain caused by diabetic neuropathy. LDN's mechanism of action is well suited to treating painful diabetic neuropathy, and LDN shows significant promise as a safe, non-opioid alternative that can decrease pain and improve quality of life for those suffering from this painful condition.

Conditions

  • Painful Diabetic Neuropathy

Interventions

DRUG

Naltrexone

Capsule with doses of 1.5mg, 3mg, and 4.5 mg to allow for drug titration. Capsules of different dosages will be indistinguishable to allow for maintenance of blinding.

DRUG

Placebo

Naltrexone matched placebo capsule.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Bruce M Vrooman, MD · Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2020-12-22
Primary Completion
2026-12-31
Completion
2026-12-31
FDA Drug
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Drugs

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT04678895 on ClinicalTrials.gov