Mindfulness meditation training effects on CD4+ T lymphocytes in HIV-1 infected adults: a small randomized controlled trial.
J David Creswell, Hector F Myers, Steven W Cole, Michael R. Irwin
Brain, behavior, and immunity February 2009 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2008.07.004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 48 |
| Population | HIV-1 infected adults with stress |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, post-intervention assessment |
| Measures | CD4+ T lymphocyte counts |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Registration | NCT00600561 |
| Key findings | MBSR training buffered CD4+ T lymphocyte declines compared to a 1-day control seminar, with counts unchanged in the MBSR group and declining in the control group (interaction p=.02), independent of antiretroviral use and mediated by class attendance. |
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation training has stress reduction benefits in various patient populations, but its effects on biological markers of HIV-1 progression are unknown. The present study tested the efficacy of an 8-week Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) meditation program compared to a 1-day control seminar on CD4+ T lymphocyte counts in stressed HIV infected adults. A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted with enrollment and follow-up occurring between November 2005 and December 2007. A diverse community sample of 48 HIV-1 infected adults was randomized and entered treatment in either an 8-week MBSR or a 1-day control stress reduction education seminar. The primary outcome was circulating counts of CD4+ T lymphocytes. Participants in the 1-day control seminar showed declines in CD4+ T lymphocyte counts whereas counts among participants in the 8-week MBSR program were unchanged from baseline to post-intervention (time x treatment condition interaction, p=.02). This effect was independent of antiretroviral (ARV) medication use. Additional analyses indicated that treatment adherence to the mindfulness meditation program, as measured by class attendance, mediated the effects of mindfulness meditation training on buffering CD4+ T lymphocyte declines. These findings provide an initial indication that mindfulness meditation training can buffer CD4+ T lymphocyte declines in HIV-1 infected adults. clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT00600561.