Study schedule
| Time points | Week 0 | Week 4 | Week 8 | Week 12 | Week 16 |
| Enrolment | |||||
| Eligibility screen | √ | ||||
| Informed consent | √ | ||||
| Allocation | √ | ||||
| Demography characteristics | √ | ||||
| Medical history | √ | ||||
| Intervention | |||||
| Electro-acupuncture | √ | √ | |||
| Sham acupuncture | √ | √ | |||
| Usual care | |||||
| Assessments | |||||
| TSS | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| NRS | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| SF-12 | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| NCS | √ | √ | |||
| Fasting blood glucose | √ | √ | |||
| HbA1c | √ | √ | |||
| Expectancy assessment* | √ | ||||
| Blinding assessment* | √ | ||||
| Adverse events | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
*Only for participants in electro-acupuncture and sham acupuncture groups.
HbA1c, haemoglobin A1c; NCS, nerve conduction studies; NRS, Numeric Rating Scale for Pain Intensity; SF-12, 12-item Short Form Health Survey; TSS, Total Symptom Score.