ObjectiveTo explore the therapeutic effect of infrared physiotherapy of traditional Chinese medicine combined with mecobalamin on diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and its effect on inflammatory factors, homocysteine (Hcy) and life quality. MethodsA total of 104 DPN patients admitted to our hospital from December 2017 to December 2018 were selected and randomly divided into observation group and control group, with 52 cases in each group. The control group was given mecobalamin, and the observation group was given infrared physiotherapy combined with mecobalamin, for three-week course of treatment. The clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups. The levels of inflammatory factors, Hcy, and motor conduction velocities (MCV) and sensory conduction velocities (SCV) of common peroneal nerve and median nerve, as well as the 36-items Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scale scores before and after treatment were detected and compared between the two groups. ResultsCompared to the control group, the observation group yielded a significantly higher total effective rate (94.23% vs. 80.77%), and a superior efficacy, with statistically significant differences (P＜0.05). After 3 weeks of treatment, the levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and Hcy in the two groups decreased significantly, and the levels of the observation group were significantly lower than those of the control group, with statistically significant differences (P＜0.05). The MCV, SCV of the common peroneal nerve and median nerve increased significantly in both groups, and the conduction velocities of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group, with statistically significant differences (P＜0.05). The overall health, mental health, physical health, emotional function, physiological function, social function, physical pain and vitality scores in the SF-36 increased significantly in both groups, and the scores of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group, with statistically significant differences (P＜0.05). During treatment, no serious adverse reactions occurred in both groups. ConclusionTraditional Chinese medicine infrared physiotherapy combined with mecobalamin can significantly improve the clinical efficacy of patients with DPN, decrease the levels of inflammatory factors and Hcy, increase the MCV and SCV, and thus improve the life quality in patients.

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