Calcium dobesilate for chronic venous insufficiency: a systematic review

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) causes much discomfort and sick leave. Many randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have shown a beneficial effect of calcium dobesilate, but consensus is lacking about efficacy and safety. The authors report a meta-analysis of the effectiveness and safety of calcium dobesilate in CVI. Ten RCTs (778 patients) in which calcium dobesilate for CVI was compared with placebo met the inclusion criteria. Only 3 trials (608 patients) were of good methodological quality. Calcium dobesilate significantly improved night cramps and discomfort nearly twice as well as placebo, with the number needed to treat (NNT) being 8 (95% CI 4-50) and 4 (95% CI 3-7), respectively. Frequency of adverse events was not significantly different from placebo. Subgroup analysis found a differential response with respect to disease severity, with greater improvements in pain, heaviness, and malleolar swelling being seen in the severe group than in the mild group. Calcium dobesilate improved paresthesias significantly more than placebo in the severe but not in the mild group and the effect on leg volume was also significantly better in the severe group (-7.2% vs -1.6%). No difference in effect was found for different doses of calcium dobesilate (1,000 or 1,500 mg/day). Sensitivity analyses did not affect the results. Current evidence suggests that calcium dobesilate is more effective than placebo in improving some CVI symptoms, that there is higher efficacy in more severe disease, and that a dose of 1,000 mg/day is as effective and safe as 1,500 mg/day. Further adequately powered trials are needed to further evaluate these hypotheses.