Oral enzyme therapy in patients with acute superficial vein inflammation (thrombophlebitis) can serve as an additional treatment option besides standard therapy with compression stockings, common pain medication and physical treatments. This randomized, double-blinded trial compares efficacy and safety with placebo.
Enzymes are absorbed in the small intestine and taken up into the bloodstream, at least to some extent. There, they act in an anti-inflammatory manner, as was first described for the serine protease trypsin. Similarly, the cysteine protease bromelain, extracted from the stems of pineapples, is an effective phytotherapeutical drug with anti-inflammatory properties.Proteases have also been indicated to show a certain improvement of the fluidity of the blood. An additional component of the oral enzyme combination can be rutoside, or rutin, a flavonoid known to have cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
100
Bromelain / Trypsin / Rutoside
Dr. Baumueller
Fano, Italy
Difference of pain at rest between values day 0 (baseline) and day 7
Patients were asked to evaluate resting pain on day 0 (baseline) as well as day 7 on a 10-cm VAS (Visual Analogue Scale), with the left end (0 cm) indicating "no pain" and the right end (10 cm) "unbearable pain". The distance from the left end was recorded.
Time frame: Change day 0 until day 7
Responders
Number of responders (pain value smaller or equal to 1 cm on visual analogue scale for pain (VAS, eft end (0 cm) indicating "no pain" and the right end (10 cm) "unbearable pain") on day 14
Time frame: day 14
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