Evidence on conservative clinical treatments for haemorrhoids

• Autor(a) principal: Barbosa, Fernanda da Silva
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Oliveira, Jardel Corrêa de, Tesser, Charles Dalcanale
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista Brasileira de Medicina de Família e Comunidade (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://www.rbmfc.org.br/rbmfc/article/view/786
• topic: Technology Assessment; Biomedical; Therapeutics; Hemorrhoids; Primary Health Care; Evaluación de la Tecnología Biomédica; Terapéutica; Hemorroides; Atención Primaria de Salud; Avaliação da Tecnologia Biomédica; Terapêutica; Hemorroidas; Atenção Primária à Saúde; Avaliação de Tecnologia em Saúde

Objective: The objective of this health technology assessment was to analyse the evidence on conservative clinical treatments for haemorrhoids usable in Primary Health Care. Methods: We searched in Embase, LILACS and MEDLINE through Pubmed for meta-analyses, systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials published until December 2012, without limits of language. Studies should evaluate the effects of conservative medical treatments (fibres or laxatives, flavonoids, analgesics, corticosteroids, sitz baths or nitro-glycerine ointments) compared to placebo or each other. The outcomes considered were overall symptom improvement, bleeding, itching, pain, prolapse and adverse effects. Results: One meta-analysis showed that fibres promote overall improvement of symptoms and bleeding; and decrease recurrence after outpatient procedures. Three meta-analyses showed efficacy of flavonoids for acute and postoperative bleeding, overall symptom improvement, perianal discharge and recurrence after acute episode. There was no statistical difference for itching, pain, prolapse, or adverse effects in both cases. Rutosides, a type of flavonoid, reduced symptoms in pregnant women, despite the insufficiency of data to prove its safety. No studies were found on other types of treatment that met the selection criteria. Conclusions: In Primary Health Care, oral fibres or flavonoids can be used to improve overall symptoms and bleeding in haemorrhoid patients at grades I and II; to patient grade III who does not wish to undergo outpatient procedure; and postoperatively. Randomized controlled trials with adequate methodological quality are needed to confirm these results.