Intravenous lidocaine infusion--a new treatment of chronic painful diabetic neuropathy?

In a randomized double-blind, cross-over study the effect of intravenous lidocaine (5 mg/kg body weight) on the symptoms and signs of painful diabetic neuropathy of more than 6 months duration has been evaluated. Using a clinical symptom scale, there was significant beneficial effect 1 and 8 days after lidocaine infusion compared to after saline infusion (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.02, respectively). The duration of the individual effect ranged from 3 to 21 days. Lidocaine infusion had no effect on the objective measurements of neuropathy. Intravenous lidocaine infusion seems to be a new alternative treatment of chronic painful diabetic neuropathy.