The effect of wet-cupping therapy (hijama) in modulating autoimmune activity of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: A pilot controlled study

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the possible effects of wet-cupping therapy (hijama) on autoimmune activity and thyroid hormonal profiles of Hashimoto’s disease (HD) patients. METHODS: A prospective pilot controlled trial was carried out among adult females following HD at the Endocrinology Clinic of King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from February 2014 until March 2017. A total of 13 patients (intervention group) underwent 3 hijama sessions at 3-week interval with a 6-month follow-up. Blood tests were carried out for both pre- and post-hijama, including: thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO), thyroglobulin antibody (TG), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine-4 (T4), and prolactin. Control group included 13 randomly selected HD patients following usual care with 2 consecutive measurements of TPO and TG at 2-3 months interval. RESULTS: Changes in anti-TPO and anti-TG showed a decrease in hijama group versus an increase in control group, and intervention group comparison was statistically significant. On a fixed thyroxine supplement for each patient, significant decrease in levels of anti-TPO, anti-TG, TSH, prolactin, and erythrocyte sedi-mentation rate (ESR) occurred. CONCLUSION: These findings are presumptive to the efficacy of hijama on the pathogenesis of HD in modulating the immune inflammatory process demonstrated by the reduction in ESR, TPO, and TSH levels on a fixed thyroxin supplementation dose, along with patient-reported clinical improvement and positive changes in ultrasound including regaining of gland physiological size, echogenicity, and vascularity.