EDTA treatment of intermittent claudication — a doubleblind, placebo‐controlled study

Abstract

A double‐blind, randomized multicentre study was undertaken to evaluate the possible effect of chelation treatment with ethylenediamine‐tetraacetic acid (EDTA) in patients with severe intermittent claudication. A total of 153 patients received 20 intravenous infusions of either 3 g Na₂EDTA or placebo during a period of 5–9 weeks. Vitamin, mineral and trace element supplements were administered orally. The changes observed in the pain‐free and maximal walking distances, measured on a treadmill, were similar in the two groups. During the 3‐month (n = 149) and 6‐month (n = 123) follow‐up period, no long‐term therapeutic effect of EDTA could be demonstrated. The anklebrachial blood pressure index remained unchanged throughout the study period. This study failed to demonstrate any effect of EDTA chelation treatment in intermittent claudication.