PS06 Mindfulness-based stress reduction alleviates flushing and negative emotions in rosacea: an exploratory study
Deyu Song, Xian Jiang
British Journal of Dermatology June 28, 2024 DOI: 10.1093/bjd/ljae090.377 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Exploratory open-label trial with qualitative interviews Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 14 |
| Population | Patients with rosacea |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week programme; interviews at week 9 |
| Measures | Global Flushing Severity Score (GFSS), erythema visual analogue scale, Dermatology Life Quality Index, Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Stigma Scale |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | After 8 weeks of online MBSR, patients with rosacea showed a median reduction of 2.0 points on the Global Flushing Severity Score (IQR -2.0 to 0.0; P = 0.02) and significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and stigma scale scores. Qualitative interviews indicated themes of better emotional regulation and self-acceptance. The authors conclude MBSR shows therapeutic potential but requires larger randomized controlled trials. |
Abstract
Abstract Rosacea is commonly associated with a significant psychosocial burden. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has shown promising prospects in inflammatory skin diseases, including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (Kishimoto S, Watanabe N, Yamamoto Y et al. Efficacy of integrated online mindfulness and self-compassion training for adults with atopic dermatitis: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatol 2023; 159: 628; Muftin Z, Gilbert P, Thompson AR. A randomized controlled feasibility trial of online compassion-focused self-help for psoriasis. Br J Dermatol 2022; 186: 955–62). To evaluate the efficacy of MBSR on clinical symptoms and negative emotions in rosacea, we conducted an exploratory, open-label trial and qualitative research. In this study, 14 patients with rosacea participated in an 8-week online MBSR programme in small groups. The Global Flushing Severity Score (GFSS), erythema visual analogue scale, Dermatology Life Quality Index, Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Stigma Scale were applied to evaluate the clinical symptoms and emotional wellbeing. Statistical analysis was performed with the t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. At week 9, in-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with eight enrolled patients to gain insight into their subjective experiences and perceptions. Thematic analysis was applied to analyse the interview data. Statistically significant reduction in the score of GFSS was observed after 8 weeks of mindfulness training, with a median decrease of −2.0 points (interquartile range −2.0 to 0.0; P = 0.02). Additionally, there were also significant reductions in the SDS, SAS and Stigma Scale scores. Qualitative analysis showed that patients were more likely to develop positive emotions, and recognized that avoiding confrontation with the disease can alleviate negative emotions (Table). Our study is the first to evaluate the efficacy of MBSR on rosacea and to delve into the subjective experiences of patients regarding MBSR. This suggests significant therapeutic potential. Larger randomized controlled studies are needed to clarify the efficacy of MBSR in rosacea.ThemesVerbatim transcript extractsBetter emotional regulation‘I feel extremely anxious when flushing comes; mindfulness helps me calm down and alleviate the anxiety’ (MG02)Self-acceptance‘I feel much more relaxed now. I no longer focus on my facial redness or worry about how others perceive me’ (MG11)‘I used to think that having rosacea made me a loser in life. I thought everyone else was beautiful except for me’ (MG12)More exercise is needed‘This process is like stepping into a mental fitness studio, where each practice session helps me observe my inner self’ (MG05)
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |