Peripheral NeuropathyNCT01569269
Effects of Reiki, Yoga, Meditation, on the Physical and Psychological Symptoms of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
A study testing Yoga Intervention, Meditation Intervention and Reiki in people with Peripheral Neuropathy, run by George Mason University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to test whether people with symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) receive physical or psychological benefits from participating in a six-week Reiki, Yoga, Meditation, or Educational experience. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 90 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- What is being tested?
- Yoga Intervention, Meditation Intervention and Reiki
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 36 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- May 2010to Mar 2012
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 90 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- participants must be of at least 18 years of age,
- participants must have persistent symptoms of CIPN resulting from treatment with vinca alkaloid, taxane, platinum class chemotherapies or immunomodulators (Thalidomide) or antineoplastic agents (Velcade) for a known cancer diagnosis
- participants must have completed chemotherapy at least three months prior to beginning the study,
- participants cannot concurrently receive chemotherapy treatment for cancer, nor
- actively take part in one of the complementary modalities offered in this pilot study.
- participants will be required to have an ability to comfortably speak, read, and understand English.
- participants must be fully oriented and possess the capacity to understand and provide informed consent for participation in the study.
Who cannot join
- failure to meet any one of the inclusion criteria
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Life with Cancer Family Center
Fairfax, Virginia, 22031
About this study
Official title: A Randomized, Four-Arm Study Comparing Reiki, Yoga, Meditation, or Patient Education Group for Addressing Symptoms of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN)
The purpose of this study is to test whether people with symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) receive physical or psychological benefits from participating in a six-week Reiki, Yoga, Meditation, or Educational experience.
Read the detailed description
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a side effect that occurs with many of the most common chemotherapeutic agents used to treat cancer. Typically, CIPN is experienced as tingling, burning, numbness, or pain in the upper and lower extremities and other parts of the body. Severity of symptoms can range from bothersome to disabling and can have profoundly negative effects on quality of life. Although the specific incidence or prevalence of CIPN is unknown, it is generally estimated at 30 to 40 percent in patients who have received the classes of chemotherapeutic agents used to treat breast, colon, and lung, cancers, and lymphomas. There are no treatments or drugs that consistently ameliorate or lead to the reversal of CIPN symptoms.Typically, symptoms of CIPN are considered along with other pain symptoms and treated with opioids and analgesics. Additionally, the prescription of anticonvulsant medications and tricyclic antidepressants can help alleviate neuropathic pain. While these strategies can provide relief from cancer-related pain, they often yield limited results for symptoms of CIPN. With few allopathic treatment alternatives for attenuating the symptoms of CIPN, people living with these symptoms have few options other than to endure them.
Unlike treatments based upon nociceptive and neuropathic models of pain that regard the pain response as the outcome of a finite and mechanistic chain of biochemical events, complementary treatments acknowledge the interpenetrating nature of the relationships between body, mind, and spirit. Typically, complementary or integrative health strategies incorporate psychological, emotional, and spiritual elements along with biochemical strategies when addressing pain. Of particular interest in the proposed pilot study are complementary techniques that include Yoga, Meditation, and Reiki.
Utilizing a pretest-posttest control group design with random assignment, this four-arm experimental pilot study will be undertaken to determine the feasibility of three complementary approaches in reducing the signs and symptoms of CIPN. This design was chosen for its ability to support causal inference while managing threats to internal and external design validity. The use of random assignment in the development of intervention and comparison groups will strengthen the ability of this design to manage threats to internal validity more efficiently. This pilot study involves the collection of quantitative data from self-administered instruments that have been designed to measure health related quality of life, symptoms of neurotoxicity, psychological distress, and mindfulness.
- Conditions
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Being tested
- Yoga Intervention, Meditation Intervention, Reiki, Holistic Education
- Keywords
- chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy, cancer, psychological distress, mindfulness, complementary and alternative
- Medical subject headings
- Peripheral Nervous System Diseases, Neoplasms
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Yoga InterventionBehavioural
The yoga intervention will take place for one hour per week for six weeks. All sessions will be guided by a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) who is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
Each yoga session will follow a similar protocol. The introductory period (10 minutes) will focus participants on increasing interoceptive and proprioceptive capacity. The main segment is comprised of a series of yoga postures that progress from lying or seated postures that provide gentle muscle stretching to standing stretches that increase balance and flexibility. The postures will be introduced, practiced, and combined with breathing exercises for forty minutes.
The conclusion of the session will be comprised of 10 minutes of relaxation.
Meditation InterventionBehavioural
The meditation intervention will be conducted weekly for weeks. Each class will follow a similar protocol: During the one-hour meeting, participants will focus on developing attention to the breath. In a supine or seated position and with eyes closed, participants will be guided to attend solely to their breathing. As physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions begin to arise, participants will be taught to recognize, acknowledge, and accept the presence of the sensations or emotions and then to step back, release the thought or sensation, and refocus attention toward the breath At the conclusion of each meeting, the meditation instructor will encourage participants to voluntarily engage in daily meditation practices.
ReikiBehavioural
The Reiki intervention will be conducted for one hour per week for 6 weeks. Protocol for each session: Briefly meet with the Reiki practitioner to review experiences with symptoms of CIPN. Then, the participant will be directed to lie supine and fully clothed on a massage table. Beginning at the top of the head, the practitioner will move inferiorly and pause while holding their hands above, but facing the participant at each energy point until reaching the feet. Upon reaching the participant's feet, the participant will roll from the supine position to a prone position and the process repeated. After being guided to a seated position on the massage table, the practitioner will spend a few moments in conversation with the participation before ending the session.
Holistic EducationOther
The psychoeducational intervention will be presented in a traditional classroom format with weekly one hour meetings taking place during the six week study period. Each class meeting will address specific aspects of CIPN. Participants will be presented with content related to basic neuroanatomy, physiology, the effects of chemotherapy on peripheral nervous system, how available allopathic treatments (pharmacological/psychopharmacological) can be helpful, and psychosocial issues related to CIPN. The final week of the psychoeducational group will include the identification of complementary interventions that may be of help to people living with CIPN.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga | Experimental | See intervention description Receives: Behavioral: Yoga Intervention |
| Meditation | Experimental | See intervention description Receives: Behavioral: Meditation Intervention |
| Reiki | Experimental | see intervention description Receives: Behavioral: Reiki |
| Holistic Education | Active comparator | see intervention description Receives: Other: Holistic Education |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
FACT GOG-ntx scale
This scale measures two outcomes:symptoms of neurotoxicity and quality of life. The FACT GOG-ntx combines the 27-item general Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy scale (FACT-G) with an 11-item neurotoxicity subscale. Completion of the FACT-G does not require assistance and can be completed in less than five minutes. Cronbach's coefficient for each item on this scale has been demonstrated at 0.70 or higher, and the instrument is sensitive to respondent changes over time.
Measured: change from baseline in quality of life and symptoms of neurotoxicity in 6 weeks
Secondary outcomes (2)
The Brief Symptom Inventory - 18 (BSI-18)
The BSI-18 is an 18-item brief psychological screening instrument that has been designed to measure distress and yields a global distress score as well as subscale scores for somatic concerns, anxiety, and depression. The BSI-18 has been found to have good internal reliability with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.89
Measured: change from baseline in quality of life and symptoms of neurotoxicity in 6 weeks
Mindful Attention Awareness scale (MAAS)
The MAAS is a 15-item scale that is self-administered, requires no assistance to complete, and can be taken in five minutes or less. The instrument was developed to evaluate states of mindfulness or the respondent's capacity to simply observe and be aware of internal and external events in the present moment as a method of self-regulation. Internal reliability of items on the MAAS has been established with Cronbach's Alpha coefficients at 0.80 or higher per item.
Measured: change from baseline in quality of life and symptoms of neurotoxicity in 6 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Apr 2012 (estimated)
- Study startMay 2010
- Primary completionJul 2010
- Study completionMar 2012
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Peripheral NeuropathyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- George Mason University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Paul Clark, PhD, George Mason University
- Investigators
- Paul G Clark, PhD, Principal investigator, George Mason University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01569269
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 6870
- Status last verified
- Apr 2012
- First submitted
- 29 Mar 2012
- Last updated
- 3 Apr 2012
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 3 Apr 2012. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Randomized, Four-Arm Study Comparing Reiki, Yoga, Meditation, or Patient Education Group for Addressing Symptoms of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01569269
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 6870
- Conditions
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Keywords
- chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy, cancer, psychological distress, mindfulness, complementary and alternative
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- George Mason UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- May 2010
- Primary completion
- Jul 2010 (actual)
- Study completion
- Mar 2012 (actual)
- First posted
- 3 Apr 2012 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to test whether people with symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) receive physical or psychological benefits from participating in a six-week Reiki, Yoga, Meditation, or Educational experience.
Detailed description
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a side effect that occurs with many of the most common chemotherapeutic agents used to treat cancer. Typically, CIPN is experienced as tingling, burning, numbness, or pain in the upper and lower extremities and other parts of the body. Severity of symptoms can range from bothersome to disabling and can have profoundly negative effects on quality of life. Although the specific incidence or prevalence of CIPN is unknown, it is generally estimated at 30 to 40 percent in patients who have received the classes of chemotherapeutic agents used to treat breast, colon, and lung, cancers, and lymphomas. There are no treatments or drugs that consistently ameliorate or lead to the reversal of CIPN symptoms.Typically, symptoms of CIPN are considered along with other pain symptoms and treated with opioids and analgesics. Additionally, the prescription of anticonvulsant medications and tricyclic antidepressants can help alleviate neuropathic pain. While these strategies can provide relief from cancer-related pain, they often yield limited results for symptoms of CIPN. With few allopathic treatment alternatives for attenuating the symptoms of CIPN, people living with these symptoms have few options other than to endure them.
Unlike treatments based upon nociceptive and neuropathic models of pain that regard the pain response as the outcome of a finite and mechanistic chain of biochemical events, complementary treatments acknowledge the interpenetrating nature of the relationships between body, mind, and spirit. Typically, complementary or integrative health strategies incorporate psychological, emotional, and spiritual elements along with biochemical strategies when addressing pain. Of particular interest in the proposed pilot study are complementary techniques that include Yoga, Meditation, and Reiki.
Utilizing a pretest-posttest control group design with random assignment, this four-arm experimental pilot study will be undertaken to determine the feasibility of three complementary approaches in reducing the signs and symptoms of CIPN. This design was chosen for its ability to support causal inference while managing threats to internal and external design validity. The use of random assignment in the development of intervention and comparison groups will strengthen the ability of this design to manage threats to internal validity more efficiently. This pilot study involves the collection of quantitative data from self-administered instruments that have been designed to measure health related quality of life, symptoms of neurotoxicity, psychological distress, and mindfulness.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (investigator)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga | Experimental | Behavioral: Yoga InterventionSee intervention description |
| Meditation | Experimental | Behavioral: Meditation InterventionSee intervention description |
| Reiki | Experimental | Behavioral: Reikisee intervention description |
| Holistic Education | Active comparator | Other: Holistic Educationsee intervention description |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 90 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- participants must be of at least 18 years of age,
- participants must have persistent symptoms of CIPN resulting from treatment with vinca alkaloid, taxane, platinum class chemotherapies or immunomodulators (Thalidomide) or antineoplastic agents (Velcade) for a known cancer diagnosis
- participants must have completed chemotherapy at least three months prior to beginning the study,
- participants cannot concurrently receive chemotherapy treatment for cancer, nor
- actively take part in one of the complementary modalities offered in this pilot study.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- failure to meet any one of the inclusion criteria
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga InterventionThe yoga intervention will take place for one hour per week for six weeks. All sessions will be guided by a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) who is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Each yoga session will follow a similar protocol. The introductory period (10 minutes) will focus participants on increasing interoceptive and proprioceptive capacity. The main segment is comprised of a series of yoga postures that progress from lying or seated postures that provide gentle muscle stretching to standing stretches that increase balance and flexibility. The postures will be introduced, practiced, and combined with breathing exercises for forty minutes. The conclusion of the session will be comprised of 10 minutes of relaxation. | Behavioural | Yoga |
| Meditation InterventionThe meditation intervention will be conducted weekly for weeks. Each class will follow a similar protocol: During the one-hour meeting, participants will focus on developing attention to the breath. In a supine or seated position and with eyes closed, participants will be guided to attend solely to their breathing. As physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions begin to arise, participants will be taught to recognize, acknowledge, and accept the presence of the sensations or emotions and then to step back, release the thought or sensation, and refocus attention toward the breath At the conclusion of each meeting, the meditation instructor will encourage participants to voluntarily engage in daily meditation practices. | Behavioural | Meditation |
| ReikiThe Reiki intervention will be conducted for one hour per week for 6 weeks. Protocol for each session: Briefly meet with the Reiki practitioner to review experiences with symptoms of CIPN. Then, the participant will be directed to lie supine and fully clothed on a massage table. Beginning at the top of the head, the practitioner will move inferiorly and pause while holding their hands above, but facing the participant at each energy point until reaching the feet. Upon reaching the participant's feet, the participant will roll from the supine position to a prone position and the process repeated. After being guided to a seated position on the massage table, the practitioner will spend a few moments in conversation with the participation before ending the session. | Behavioural | Reiki |
| Holistic EducationThe psychoeducational intervention will be presented in a traditional classroom format with weekly one hour meetings taking place during the six week study period. Each class meeting will address specific aspects of CIPN. Participants will be presented with content related to basic neuroanatomy, physiology, the effects of chemotherapy on peripheral nervous system, how available allopathic treatments (pharmacological/psychopharmacological) can be helpful, and psychosocial issues related to CIPN. The final week of the psychoeducational group will include the identification of complementary interventions that may be of help to people living with CIPN. | Other | Holistic Education |
Primary outcome
FACT GOG-ntx scale
Time frame: change from baseline in quality of life and symptoms of neurotoxicity in 6 weeks
This scale measures two outcomes:symptoms of neurotoxicity and quality of life. The FACT GOG-ntx combines the 27-item general Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy scale (FACT-G) with an 11-item neurotoxicity subscale. Completion of the FACT-G does not require assistance and can be completed in less than five minutes. Cronbach's coefficient for each item on this scale has been demonstrated at 0.70 or higher, and the instrument is sensitive to respondent changes over time.
2 secondary outcomes
The Brief Symptom Inventory - 18 (BSI-18)
Time frame: change from baseline in quality of life and symptoms of neurotoxicity in 6 weeks
Mindful Attention Awareness scale (MAAS)
Time frame: change from baseline in quality of life and symptoms of neurotoxicity in 6 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 3 Apr 2012.
Related trials for Peripheral Neuropathy
Active, not recruitingPhase 1/2
Selumetinib in Treating Young Patients With Recurrent or Refractory Low Grade Glioma
Low Grade Glioma, Recurrent Childhood Pilocytic Astrocytoma
RecruitingObservational study
Pain Phenotypes in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Pain
Not yet recruitingObservational study
Postural Control and Balance Performance in Patients With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), Postural Assessment
Active, not recruiting
The AIUR Trial: Surgical Gloves to Prevent Peripheral Neuropathy
Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy
Active, not recruiting
Effects of Whole-body Electrical Muscle Stimulation Exercise on Adults With Neuromuscular Disease
Neuromuscular Diseases (NMD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Paul G Clark, PhD principal investigator
George Mason University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Yoga Intervention, Meditation Intervention and Reiki in people with Peripheral Neuropathy, run by George Mason University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Apr 2012. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
FACT GOG-ntx scale (time frame: change from baseline in quality of life and symptoms of neurotoxicity in 6 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Apr 2012.