Clinical study of reduced glutathione in the prevention of peripheral neuropathy associated with thalidomide

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of reduced glutathione(GSH) for preventing thalidomide-induced peripheral neuropathy (TiPN) in multiple myeloma (MM). Methods A total of 40 cases of MM in Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences from October 2014 to September 2016 were chosen as research objects. According to the randomized double blind principle, the patients were divided into two groups, the Patients in the treatment group were treated with GSH and thalidomide in combination with chemotherapy, and the patients in the control group were treated without thalidomide and chemotherapy. The occurrence of TiPN between the two groups were observed and analyzed. Results The total incidence of TiPN in the treatment group was 25% (5/20), while that in the control group was 45% (9/20), there was no significant difference between the two groups (x2 = 1.758, P > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in neuromotor conduction velocity (MCV), compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and sensory conduction velocity (SCV) between the two groups (all P > 0.05). There were no statistically significant difference in SNAP Of median nerve and ulnar nerve between the two groups (both P> 0.05). But the sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) of superficial peroneal nerve in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group [(7.5±4.6) vs. (4.9±2.6)], and the difference was statistically significant (t = 2.221, P < 0.05). Conclusion GSH has a certain effect on the prevention of TiPN.