Meditation-Based Stress Reduction in Rheumatoid Arthritis

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Treatments: Behavioral: stress reduction program; Behavioral: meditation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: NIH

Identifiers

NCT00071292

P50AT000084

Pradhan, Elizabeth

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction program is useful in relieving symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Confirmed diagnosis of RA, with doctor's letter or doctors' bill with ICD code 714;
• 18 years of age or older;
• Able to read and write English;
• Able to attend 15 course sessions and questionnaire sessions at Kernan Hospital in Baltimore;
• Willing to practice skills for 45 minutes to 1 hour per day, 6 days a week;
• Stable on rheumatoid medications for at least one month.

Exclusion criteria

• Major psychiatric illness (bipolar disorder, multiple personality disorder, etc.);
• Active alcoholism or drug dependency;
• Scheduled for major surgery during the study period;
• Enrolled in randomized clinical trial for rheumatoid arthritis during the study period;
• Planning to move out of the area in the next 12 months;
• Unwilling to be enrolled in a control group;
• Use of assistive device other than a cane;
• Serious health condition(s) that the investigator determines would make it difficult to complete the 6 month study;
• Diagnosis of fibromyalgia.