Effectiveness of medicinal leech therapy in moderate knee osteoarthritis: a pilot study
Zaidi SM, Jameel SS, Zaman F, Jilani S, Sultana A, Khan SA (2009) · Hindawi Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine · n=30
Studienprofil
- Design
- single-center, open-label, randomized pilot trial (Karachi)
- Stichprobengröße (n)
- 30
- Intervention
- Two sessions of 2-4 Hirudinaria granulosa leeches at the symptomatic knee, 14 days apart
- Komparator
- Diclofenac sodium 50mg twice daily for 4 weeks
- Primärer Endpunkt
- WOMAC composite at week 4
- Primäres Ergebnis
- WOMAC composite improvement 56% in leech vs 39% in diclofenac at week 4 (p=0.04)
- Effect size (Cohen's d)
- 0.65
- Follow-up-Dauer
- 8 weeks
Wichtigste Ergebnisse
- First Unani medicine RCT context for hirudotherapy
- Used H. granulosa (Indian/South Asian species)
- Effect emerged at week 2, peaked at week 4
- Comparator oral NSAID (diclofenac) more stringent than topical preparations
- Patient adherence to leech 100% — to NSAID 87%
Einschränkungen
- Small sample (n=30)
- Open-label
- Single center, Unani medicine context
- Short follow-up (8 weeks)
- WOMAC not formally validated in Urdu
Klinische Implikationen
Zaidi 2009 is the first RCT-level evidence from a Unani medicine context. As with Karandikar 2018 (Ayurveda), the use of H. granulosa rather than H. medicinalis limits direct US clinical applicability. The trial primarily supports the species-agnostic effect hypothesis. For US clinicians, this trial is best treated as supporting evidence rather than primary citation.
Verwandte Studien
Effectiveness of leech therapy in osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized, controlled trial
Michalsen A, Klotz S, Lüdtke R, Moebus S, Spahn G, Dobos GJ (2003)
Leech therapy for symptomatic treatment of knee osteoarthritis: results and implications of a pilot study
Andereya S, Stanzel S, Maus U, Mueller-Rath R, Mumme T, Miltner O (2006)
Comparison of modern leech therapy with intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections for symptomatic relief of knee osteoarthritis
Andereya S, Stanzel S, Maus U, Mueller-Rath R, Mumme T, Miltner O, Andereya S (2008)
A systematic review and meta-analysis of medical leech therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee
Lauche R, Cramer H, Langhorst J, Dobos G (2014)