The effects of a short-term meditation-based mindfulness protocol in patients receiving hemodialysis. Issue 6 (3rd July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Igarashi, Nadja S.; Karam, Christiane H.; Afonso, Rui F.; Carneiro, Fabiana D.; Lacerda, Shirley S.; Santos, Bento F.; Kozasa, Elisa H.; Rangel, Érika B.
• Is Part Of: Psychology, health & medicine. Volume 27:Issue 6(2022)
• Page Start: 1286
• Page End: 1295
• Publication Date: 2022-07-03
• Subjects: Depression -- hemodialysis -- meditation -- mindfulness -- outcome -- quality of life; Medicine and psychology -- Periodicals; Clinical health psychology -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2021.1871769
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1354-8506

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Mindfulness-based approaches that promote health, improve quality of life, and reduce the impact of comorbidities are key aspects in chronic diseases management. We aimed to verify the impact of a short-term meditation protocol on psychosocial and physiological parameters in chronic hemodialysis patients. We enrolled twenty-two patients, median age of 69.5 years old, into a 12-week meditation protocol that occurred during each hemodialysis session for 10–20 minutes, 3x/week, in a private tertiary hospital. We then evaluated clinical, psychological, and laboratorial parameters pre- and post-meditation. Patients exhibited a better control of serum phosphorus (−0.72 mg/dL; P = 0.002), a decrease in systolic blood pressure (−1.90 mmHg; P = 0.009), a 23% decrease in depressive symptoms ( P = 0.014), and an increase of 7% in the self-compassion scale ( P = 0.048) after meditation. To note, we observed an increase in 13% of the mindfulness score ( P = 0.019). Our preliminary study describes the effects of a short-term meditation protocol in chronic hemodialysis setting. We observed a decrease in depressive symptoms and in blood pressure values, an improvement in self-compassion and serum phosphorous levels. In conjunction with the promising results of meditation in chronic kidney disease setting, this encouraging preliminary study supports the need for additional clinical trials.