Medicinal leech therapy in pain syndromes: a narrative review
Koeppen D, Aurich M, Rampp T (2013) · Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift · n=0
Характеристика исследования
- Дизайн
- narrative review of medicinal leech therapy efficacy across pain-relevant clinical conditions (Biebertaler Blutegelzucht GmbH, Germany)
- Размер выборки (n)
- —
- Вмешательство
- Synthesis of published clinical studies and case reports of medicinal leech therapy in pain syndromes - osteoarthritis, lateral epicondylitis, thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, edema, hematoma, and other indications
- Компаратор
- No quantitative comparator - narrative synthesis only
- Первичная конечная точка
- Qualitative assessment of leech therapy analgesic effects across pain syndromes
- Основной результат
- Narrative consolidation: pain relief from leech therapy is described as rapid, effective, and long-lasting across multiple chronic-pain indications; mode of action attributed to anti-inflammatory, thrombolytic, anti-coagulant, and blood/lymph circulation-enhancing properties of leech saliva; specific analgesic substance not yet identified
- Длительность наблюдения
- not applicable (narrative review)
- PMID
- 24081747
Ключевые выводы
- Comprehensive narrative review of leech therapy in pain syndromes by the principal European medical leech supplier (Biebertaler Blutegelzucht)
- Synthesizes evidence across osteoarthritis, lateral epicondylitis, thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, edema, and hematoma
- Concludes that leech-mediated analgesia is rapid, effective, and long-lasting in many conditions
- Mechanistic discussion emphasizes anti-inflammatory, thrombolytic, anti-coagulant, and circulation-enhancing properties
- Notes that the specific analgesic compound in leech saliva remains unidentified - hypothesis-generating
Ограничения
- Narrative review only - no formal systematic search or quality assessment
- Author affiliation with leech-supplier company creates COI concern
- Includes case reports and uncontrolled studies alongside RCTs without weighting
- No GRADE rating provided
- Not a primary source of evidence - useful as context but not as outcome evidence
Клиническое значение
Koeppen 2013 is the most-cited narrative review of leech therapy in pain syndromes and is widely referenced in European integrative-medicine practice. It is most useful to clinicians as a contextual overview rather than a primary evidence source. The author's affiliation with the principal European leech supplier (Biebertaler Blutegelzucht) should be disclosed to readers but does not invalidate the underlying citations. For ASH editorial purposes, this review is cited only as a mechanism-and-overview reference; quantitative effect estimates should come from underlying RCTs (Michalsen 2003, Andereya 2008, Stange 2011/2012, Lauche 2014 meta-analysis).
Связанные исследования
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)
Hirudotherapy for limb ischemia in the pediatric intensive care unit: a retrospective observational cohort
Resch JC, Hedstrom R, Steiner ME, Said SM, Somani A (2023)
Study of the effect of leeching on plasma endothelin and soluble interleukin-2 receptor in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Cheng SP, Liu JL, Yuan J (2005)
Efficacy of Medicinal Leech Therapy in Diverse Clinical Applications: A Comprehensive Study from Azerbaijan
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