Title: Urinary Oxytocin Levels in Children Receiving Animal-Assisted Therapy

Uppsala University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Animal Assisted Therapy

Treatments: Behavioral: Hospital dog

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06414876

UOLinCRAAT_Uppsala University

Details and patient eligibility

About

There has been growing interest in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) in recent decades due to increasing reports indicating its health benefits for adult patients. These benefits are partly attributed to changes, usually increased levels of the neuropeptide oxytocin.

Aim: To investigate changes in oxytocin levels in hospitalized children during animal-assisted therapy sessions with a certified hospital dog.

Method: Urine samples were collected from 35 hospitalized children (3-17 years) before and after each participant had a session with the hospital dog. Oxytocin levels were analysed with an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Creatinine levels were measured to determine the subject's fluid intake and then divided by the hormonal concentration (uOT pg/mg).

Enrollment: 50 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 3 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Hospitalized children

Exclusion criteria

• Multiresistent bacteria
• Immunosuppressed
• Large burns

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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50 participants in 2 patient groups

The children played with the hospital dog and then by themselves.

Experimental group

Treatment:

Behavioral: Hospital dog

The children played by themselves and then with the hospital dog.

Experimental group

Treatment:

Behavioral: Hospital dog