Ozone: a new therapeutic agent in vascular disease.

In this article, we scientifically evaluate the bio-oxidative procedure known as oxygen-ozone therapy. Research over a decade has established a comprehensive framework for understanding and recommending this type of autohemotherapy in vascular diseases. In contrast, a non-specific immunomodulation therapy, using heavily oxidized and denatured blood, has been recently used in studies involving a total of approximately 3000 patients and has led to ‘disappointing’ results. Such a treatment appears to be an inappropriate example of the so-called minor autohemotherapy, and its poor outcomes may discourage any further studies. Therefore it appears necessary to clarify that the use of only a minimal ozone dose and a valid experimental protocol is likely to produce beneficial results. Millions of people suffer from chronic limb, brain, and heart ischemia, and such patients may benefit if appropriate ozone therapy could be implemented. Accordingly, we propose the need for a well designed, multicenter, clinical trial to be conducted.