Applications of leech therapy in medicine: a systematic review
Systematic review published in Frontiers in medicine (2024)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Leech therapy (LT) is one of the most widely used treatment methods in traditional medicine. The present study aimed to systematically review clinical trials regarding the effects of LT on the prevention and healing of different diseases. METHODS: To identify all relevant published studies, we conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases without any temporal or geographical constraints until April 2023. To categorize the articles, five stages were considered. The PRISMA checklist and Cochran's bias analysis tool were used. RESULTS: In total, 12 trials that met the inclusion criteria were studied. The results of the studies showed that LT has had successful outcomes in treating different conditions. These included hormonal and metabolic complications, cardiovascular problems, and inflammatory-based diseases. CONCLUSION: "Leech therapy" is a traditional medical treatment used successfully to control and treat various conditions. Although this method can have complications, it is possible to benefit from this low-cost and low-complication treatment by taking preventive measures.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
Leech therapy (LT) is one of the most widely used treatment methods in traditional medicine. The present study aimed to systematically review clinical trials regarding the effects of LT on the prevention and healing of different diseases.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This systematic review examined clinical trials investigating leech therapy for the prevention and healing of various diseases, identifying 12 trials through a comprehensive search of three databases through April 2023. The review is directly relevant to hirudotherapy, reporting that included trials demonstrated successful outcomes across hormonal and metabolic complications, cardiovascular problems, and inflammatory-based conditions. The authors characterize leech therapy as a low-cost treatment with manageable complications when appropriate preventive measures are taken. However, the abstract provides only high-level summary conclusions without reporting specific outcome measures, effect sizes, results of the bias assessment, or details of individual trials, limiting the ability to evaluate the strength and consistency of the underlying evidence base from this abstract alone.
Citation
Applications of leech therapy in medicine: a systematic review.
Hosseini M et al. · Frontiers in medicine, 2024
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