Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction delivered to human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients in Iran: effects on CD4⁺ T lymphocyte count and medical and psychological symptoms.
SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi, Sara Jam, Maryam Foroughi, AmirHossein Imani, Minoo Mohraz, Gholamreza Esmaeeli Djavid, David S Black
Psychosomatic Medicine June 28, 2012 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0b013e31825abfaa (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 173 |
| Population | HIV-positive adults in Tehran, Iran, with CD4 count above 250 and not yet receiving antiretroviral therapy |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) brief education and support |
| Duration | 8-week intervention with follow-up at immediate post-treatment and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months |
| Measures | CD4 count, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90R), Medical Symptom Checklist (MSCL) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Hiv infections Disease progression Cd4 lymphocyte count Treatment outcome Linear models Follow-up studies Adaptation, psychological Stress, psychological Adult Iran Female Self report |
| Key findings | In treatment-adherent HIV-positive patients not yet on antiretroviral therapy, MBSR was associated with CD4 count increases up to 9 months and improvements in SCL-90R and Medical Symptom Checklist scores, but only the Medical Symptom Checklist improvements significantly differed from the education and support group and persisted through 12 months. The authors suggest MBSR has the strongest potential to improve self-reported medical symptoms. |
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the immediate and long-term effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on biological and symptomatological markers of health among human immunodeficiency virus-positive (HIV+) patients in Tehran, Iran.
Methods: Using a randomized controlled trial design, data from 173 HIV+ patients (CD4 count > 250) not yet receiving antiretroviral therapy, who participated in either an 8-week MBSR (n = 87) or a brief education and support condition (n = 86) at the Imam Khomeini Hospital, were analyzed. Assessments included CD4 count, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90R), and Medical Symptom Checklist (MSCL) at baseline, immediate post-treatment, and at the 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-up periods.
Results: The treatment-adherent sample had a mean (standard deviation) age of 35.1 (6.5) years and 69% were male. Linear mixed-model estimates indicated that, in the MBSR condition, the mean CD4 count increased from baseline up to 9 months after treatment and then returned to baseline level at 12 months. Improvements in mean SCL-90R (up to 6 months) and MSCL (up to 12 months) scores were observed for the MBSR condition, whereas education and support condition scores remained the same over time; however, only MSCL improvements significantly differed between groups and these changes lasted up to the final assessment.
Conclusions: Findings suggest that among treatment-adherent Iranian HIV+ patients not yet receiving antiretroviral drug treatment, MBSR seems to have the strongest potential to improve self-reported medical symptoms.
Trial Registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials: IRCT201106084076N2.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 20
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Mindfulness instruction for HIV-infected youth: a randomized controlled trial AIDS Care October 25, 2017
- Biological Pathways Linking Mindfulness with Health INDIGO June 30, 2018
and 15 more in the library
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- Mindfulness meditation for the treatment of chronic low back pain in older adults: A randomized controlled pilot study ☆ Pain June 4, 2007
- The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Therapy on Anxiety and Depression: A Meta-Analytic Review Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology April 1, 2010
- Mindfulness meditation training effects on CD4+ T lymphocytes in HIV-1 infected adults: a small randomized controlled trial. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity February 2009
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for HIV-infected youth: a pilot study. Explore 2008
and 3 more in the library