Chelation therapy

According to Alternative Medicine Review, Volume 3, 1, 1998,although it has not been subjected to vast numbers of clinical trials, two reports suggest EDTA chelation therapy benefits cardiovascular symptoms in more than four out of five patients.

In 1993, Chappell and Stahl published an analysis of data on 22,765 patients, compiled from 19 published clinical studies. They found a correlation coefficient of 87 percent between EDTA therapy and improved cardiovascular symptomatology based on objective testing. Subsequently, they obtained unpublished file drawer data on 1,241 patients from 32 clinicians. From this approach they obtained a correlation coefficient of 88 percent, further building the case for cardiovascular benefit from EDTA.

Danish physicians Hancke and Flytlie reported retrospectively on 470 patients with atherosclerosis. Of 65 patients awaiting bypass surgery and subject to chelation, the vast majority showed clinical improvement; when chelation was completed only seven still required bypass. Of 27 patients previously scheduled for leg amputation, only three required surgery following courses of chelation therapy.

These enticing results from EDTA chelation invite a well controlled comparison of chelation and revascularization, with the hope of being able to replace surgical revascularization techniques or to use chelation as an adjunct to these interventions.