eHealth mindfulness-based music therapy for patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A pilot randomized controlled trial protocol.
Sara E Fleszar-Pavlovic, Blanca Noriega Esquives, Arianna E Brito, Ann Marie Sia, Mary Adelyn Kauffman, Maria Lopes, Patricia I Moreno, Tulay Koru‐Sengul, Rui Gong, Trent Wang, Eric D Wieder, Maria Rueda-Lara, Michael H. Antoni, Krishna Komanduri, Teresa Lesiuk, Frank J Penedo
Contemporary Clinical Trials July 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2024.107577 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial protocol Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 60 |
| Population | Patients with a hematologic malignancy undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation (eMM) |
| Duration | Eight 60-minute sessions; assessments at baseline, pre-infusion, and post-engraftment |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Bone marrow transplant Hematologic malignancy Mindfulness-based music therapy |
| Key findings | The protocol proposes a pilot randomized trial to test whether eHealth-based mindfulness-based music therapy (eMBMT) is feasible and acceptable and improves health-related quality of life, symptom burden, and clinical markers of disease activity in patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation, compared with eHealth-based mindfulness meditation. It also aims to examine whether improvements are mediated by psychosocial and physiological adaptation, including systemic inflammation and immune recovery. |
Abstract
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is the preferred therapy for patients with high-risk or relapsed hematologic malignancies, but may be complicated by psychological distress (e.g., depression, anxiety) and symptom burden (e.g., fatigue, pain). Mindfulness-based music therapy (MBMT), a relatively novel integrative medicine intervention that draws from mindfulness and music therapy principles, has shown promise in improving psychosocial outcomes and symptom burden in cancer patients. We outline an eHealth-based MBMT (eMBMT) intervention protocol examining: (1) feasibility, acceptability, and intended effects of eMBMT in improving HRQOL, symptom burden, and clinical markers of disease activity (e.g., infections), and (2) the extent to which eMBMT music therapy component-associated improvements in HRQOL, symptom burden, and disease activity are mediated by improvements in psychosocial and physiological (e.g., systemic inflammation, immune recovery) adaptation. Participants (n = 60) with a hematologic malignancy undergoing allo-SCT will be randomized to receive eMBMT or an eHealth-based mindfulness meditation (eMM) intervention. eMBMT includes eight 60-min sessions facilitated by a music therapist focusing on mindfulness and music therapy. eMM includes eight 60-min self-led MM practices. Feasibility, acceptability, HRQOL, symptom burden, disease activity, and mediation effects of psychosocial and physiological adaptation will be assessed at baseline, pre-infusion, and post-engraftment with blood collection at baseline and post-engraftment. The current pilot RCT is the first eMBMT intervention to address the HRQOL and symptom burden of patients who are undergoing allo-SCT. Results will inform a fully powered RCT to establish preliminary efficacy of eMBMT on improvements in HRQOL, symptom burden, and disease activity.
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
Cites 5
- Exploring Influencing Factors of Anxiety Improvement Following Mindfulness-Based Music Therapy in Young Adults with Cancer. Journal of Music Therapy June 1, 2023
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings June 2022
- Association of Mindfulness-Based Interventions With Anxiety Severity in Adults With Cancer JAMA Network Open August 1, 2020
- Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Annals of Behavioral Medicine September 22, 2016
- Psychometric properties of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire in depressed adults and development of a short form. Assessment May 17, 2011