The Effectiveness of Leech Therapy in Chronic Low Back Pain
Hohmann CD, Stange R, Steckhan N, Robens S, Ostermann T, Paetow A, Michalsen A (2018) · Deutsches Ärzteblatt International · n=44
RCT-EvidenzdetailsStudienreferenz
Studienprofil
- Design
- two-center, open (unblinded) randomized controlled trial (Berlin)
- Stichprobengröße (n)
- 44
- Intervention
- Single session of local treatment with 4-7 leeches (n=25)
- Komparator
- Four weekly 1-hour sessions of exercise therapy led by a physical therapist (n=19)
- Primärer Endpunkt
- Change in average back pain intensity on a 100-mm VAS after 28 days
- Primäres Ergebnis
- Back pain fell from 61.2 to 33.1 mm with leeches and from 61.6 to 59.8 mm with exercise at day 28 (group difference -25.2 mm, 95% CI -41.0 to -9.45; p=0.0018).
- Follow-up-Dauer
- 56 days
- PMID
- 30636672
Wichtigste Ergebnisse
- Pain at day 28: 61.2 to 33.1 mm with leeches vs 61.6 to 59.8 mm with exercise (difference -25.2 mm, p=0.0018)
- Physical impairment, function and physical quality of life also improved significantly at days 28 and 56
- Patients expected more from leech therapy, but expectations did not significantly affect the findings
Einschränkungen
- No blinding
- Small number of patients (25 and 19 analysed)
Klinische Implikationen
A single leech session lowered chronic low back pain in the short term and improved function and quality of life over 8 weeks, compared with exercise therapy. The authors name the lack of blinding and the small sample as the main limitations.
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