# Innovative strategies for diabetic peripheral neuropathy: From clinical management to emerging bioengineering solutions

## TL;DR

This paper reviews current and emerging strategies for managing diabetic peripheral neuropathy, focusing on clinical approaches and bioengineering innovations.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advances in DPN treatment, including bioengineering solutions and microfluidic models.

## Key findings

- Conventional DPN treatments have limited success and do not prevent disease progression.
- Emerging therapies target underlying mechanisms and promote regeneration using advances in regenerative medicine and bioengineering.
- Microfluidic platforms and bioengineered devices offer new possibilities for DPN modeling, diagnosis, and monitoring.

## Abstract

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common, incurable complication of diabetes that causes sensory loss, pain, and motor problems. Conventional treatments like blood glucose management, pain relief, and neuroprotective drugs have limited success and do not prevent disease progression. Advances in neurobiology, regenerative medicine, and bioengineering have led to novel therapies that target underlying mechanisms and promote regeneration. Monitoring and evaluating the onset and progression of DPN are essential for effective clinical management. Given rapid advances in understanding DPN and developing new treatments, a comprehensive review that covers clinical progress, molecular pathology techniques, and emerging bioengineering strategies is both timely and essential. This review addresses: (1) DPN pathophysiology; (2) drug therapies from clinical trials since 2020; (3) animal models used in DPN research; (4) progress and challenges in biomaterial-based drug delivery systems; (5) developments and limitations of microfluidic platforms for DPN modeling; and (6) bioengineered devices used for DPN diagnosis and monitoring. Integrating clinical insights, molecular techniques, and bioengineering innovations seeks to create a forward-looking framework for next-generation DPN treatment and management.

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•Overview of current understanding of DPN pathophysiology.•Discussion of existing and emerging therapeutic strategies for DPN.•Review of microfluidic models and their applications in DPN research.•Exploration of bioengineered tools for DPN assessment and monitoring.•Integration of clinical data, molecular analysis, and bioengineering advances.

Overview of current understanding of DPN pathophysiology.

Discussion of existing and emerging therapeutic strategies for DPN.

Review of microfluidic models and their applications in DPN research.

Exploration of bioengineered tools for DPN assessment and monitoring.

Integration of clinical data, molecular analysis, and bioengineering advances.