Exploring the effectiveness of vitamin B(12) complex and alpha-lipoic acid as a treatment for diabetes mellitus/neuropathy: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is common in patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. This often causes peripheral nerve damage. For many years vitamin B(12) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) have been regarded as components that can be used in reducing markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. In this study, we will explore the effectiveness of vitamin B(12) and ALA as a possible treatment for diabetic mellitus/neuropathy, emphasising markers of inflammation, lipid profile, and glucose metabolism. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocol (PRISMA-P). The search strategies and information sources for the literature will be PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science and Science direct. The literature search will include studies published from inception until 30 June 2022. All included studies will be evaluated for quality and risk of bias according to the Cochrane guidelines. To investigate the stability of the results, we will conduct a sensitivity analysis of the outcomes. All data analysis will be performed using Review Manager V.5. 4. ETHICAL AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review and meta-analysis will not require ethical approval from an institution committee as it does not have direct participants. We will obtain all our data from previous studies. The findings will be disseminated through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presented at local and international seminars and conferences.