Chelation therapy for claudication
Clinical bottom line
There is no evidence that chelation therapy with EDTA is of any value in claudication or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Reference
MD Villarruz et al. Chelation therapy for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005 issue 4.
Systematic review
- Date review completed: May 2005
- Number of trials included: 5
- Number of patients: 260
- Control group: placebo
- Main outcomes: ankle brachial pressure index, walking distance
Results
One trial had only 10 participants. In the other four there was no benefit. Two trials measured ankle-brachial pressure index and found no difference. In one trial with walking distance and pain free walking distance, there was no difference between treatment and control, by 10th or 20th infusion.
Comment
This is reasonable evidence of no effect.