Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on Chronic Low-Back Pain: A Study Investigating the Impact on Endocrine, Physical, and Psychologic Functioning.
Rita B Ardito, Piero Stanley Pirro, Tania S Re, Isabella Bonapace, Valentino Menardo, Emanuela Bruno, Laura Gianotti
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine August 2017 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2016.0423 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot controlled trial with waitlist control group Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 28 |
| Population | Patients with chronic low-back pain |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week program; follow-up 4-5 months post-treatment |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Chronic low-back pain Cortisol Healthcare systems Meditation program |
| Key findings | Evening salivary cortisol increased significantly from baseline after the 8-week MBSR program, and significant between-group differences in pain severity were found, with medium-to-large effect sizes for pain severity and quality of life. The authors suggest MBSR shows promise for chronic low-back pain but caution that the small sample limits decisive interpretation. |
Abstract
To explore the impact of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on pain severity and endocrine, physical, and psychologic functioning in patients with chronic low-back pain (CLBP). A total of 28 participants were enrolled in the study between January and June 2014; 17 participants were sequentially sampled for an 8-week MBSR program, and 11 were placed on a waitlist control group. Pain severity, quality of life (QOL), global psychologic functioning, and depression were assessed at baseline, at the end of treatment, and 4-5 months post-treatment for both groups. Morning and evening salivary cortisol was assessed at multiple time points in participants in the MBSR group. In comparison with baseline, evening cortisol release showed a significant increase post-treatment. Significant differences between groups were found in pain severity. Medium-to-large effect sizes were found for between-group differences in both pain severity and QOL. The cortisol increase in the MBSR group is a promising finding, in the context of CLBP hypocortisolism. Data show that the effects of the MBSR treatment may take time to surface. However, due to small sample size, decisive interpretation of findings is limited. Nevertheless, the MBSR program may show promise for CLBP and should be an avenue for further investigation through larger clinical trials within healthcare systems.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Theoretical Foundations of Pain Disorders and Unconsciousness: A Narrative Review Current Psychosomatic Research April 1, 2023
- Effects of meditation on pain intensity, physical function, quality of life and depression in adults with low back pain - A systematic review with meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine March 1, 2023
- Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Pain Intensity in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences October 30, 2020
- A Systematic Review of Mindfulness Practices for Improving Outcomes in Chronic Low Back Pain. International Journal of Yoga 2020
- Comparison of the Effectiveness of MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction Group Therapy With Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Severity of Pain and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Migraine International Clinical Neuroscience Journal September 18, 2019
and 1 more in the library
Cites 12
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Mindfulness meditation for the treatment of chronic low back pain in older adults: A randomized controlled pilot study ☆ Pain June 4, 2007
- Effect of Mindfulness‐Based stress reduction in rheumatoid arthritis patients Arthritis Care & Research September 28, 2007
- The efficacy of a Mindfulness Based Intervention for depressive symptoms in patients with Multiple Sclerosis and their caregivers: study protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial BMC Neurology January 13, 2016
- Mindfulness Meditation-Based Intervention Is Feasible, Acceptable, and Safe for Chronic Low Back Pain Requiring Long-Term Daily Opioid Therapy. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine June 7, 2016
and 7 more in the library