| Today, arthritis patients are not only more | | | | agreeing to attend assessment sessions in |
| receptive to complementary therapies- what has | | | | exchange for free MBSR training at the study's |
| been called alternative therapy- but actually prefer | | | | conclusion. |
| it to conventional medicines. | | | | Both groups of participants underwent |
| There are many reasons for this. These reasons | | | | psychological and rheumatological examinations at |
| include the adverse publicity surrounding the side | | | | baseline, and again at 2 months and 6 months into |
| effects of medicines such as Vioxx and Bextra, | | | | the study. Researchers used the Symptom |
| cost of pharmaceutical agents, insurance | | | | Checklist-90-Revised, a self-report questionnaire, |
| restrictions that make it difficult for patients to | | | | to evaluate depressive symptoms and |
| get the types of medicines they need, and the | | | | psychological distress. Overall well-being was |
| widely held concept that "natural" implies safe. | | | | measured by the Psychological Well-Being Scales, |
| As has been demonstrated on multiple occasions, | | | | made up of questions designed to evaluate |
| a natural remedy is not necessarily safe, nor is it | | | | positive outlook and approach to coping with |
| necessarily even effective. | | | | difficulties. RA clinical factors were assessed by |
| However, there are natural therapies for which | | | | the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS-28). |
| there is little evidence supporting their usefulness | | | | Researchers compared scores of psychological |
| in conditions like arthritis, but also a paucity of | | | | and physical disease symptoms among MBSR |
| data showing they are harmful. | | | | participants with those of the control group. |
| Such is the case with meditation. Meditation not | | | | Patients receiving MBSR found the program to be |
| only is safe but has had beneficial applications in | | | | enjoyable and continued throughout the follow-up |
| other rheumatic conditions such as fibromyalgia. | | | | period. |
| A recent study has demonstrated that meditation | | | | After 2 months, both groups showed |
| may also be useful as an adjunctive treatment | | | | improvements in depressive, psychological, and |
| for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). | | | | emotional symptoms, with no significant difference |
| A meditation training program, called | | | | between the MBSR group and the control group. |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was | | | | By 6 months, however, gains in the control group |
| developed by Dr. Kabat-Zinn and other | | | | had largely disappeared, while MBSR participants |
| researchers at the University of Massachusetts | | | | maintained or improved further in psychological |
| Medical School. MBSR teaches participants to | | | | outcomes. By the end of the study, the MBSR |
| focus the mind in a special way. This technique is | | | | group achieved a significant 35 percent reduction |
| supposed to increase clarity and calmness. | | | | in psychological distress. |
| Researchers at the University of Maryland School | | | | The meditation program had no impact on RA |
| of Medicine assessed the effect of this meditation | | | | disease activity, measured by the DAS-28, which |
| therapy on depressive symptoms, psychological | | | | is a composite score derived from swollen joints, |
| distress, general well-being, and disease activity | | | | tender joints, and the erythrocyte sedimentation |
| among RA patients. The results of the study | | | | rate (ESR). |
| indicates that there are potential benefits of | | | | The studies flaws include its small sample size and |
| MBSR and that it can be used with a conventional | | | | the relative homogeneity of the control group. |
| course of physical and pharmacological therapy. | | | | The study showed that patients with RA may |
| Sixty-three adult RA patients were selected to | | | | benefit from a meditation program such as MBSR |
| participate in this novel pilot study. The subjects | | | | class. MBSR is also safe and appealing to |
| averaged 54 years in age and predominately | | | | participants. The lead investigator, Dr. Elizabeth |
| women. All patients remained under their | | | | Pradhan, also states, "For doctors wishing to offer |
| rheumatologist's care and continued to take their | | | | patients a complement to medical management, |
| routine medications throughout the study. | | | | mindfulness meditation may offer hope for |
| Thirty-one of the participants were randomized to | | | | improving psychological distress and strengthening |
| receive MBSR therapy, starting with an 8-week | | | | well-being in patients with RA." |
| training course followed by a 4-month | | | | (Pradhan EK, et al. Effect of Mindfulness-Based |
| maintenance program. The remaining 32 | | | | Stress Reduction in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients. |
| participants were assigned to a waiting list, | | | | Arthritis Care & Research. October 2007). |