Reiki Effects on Heart Rhythm, Biochemistry and Cortisol Findings, and Anxiety

July 29, 2022 updated by: NURSEMIN UNAL, Ankara Medipol University

Effects of Reiki on Heart Rhythm, Biochemistry, Cortisol Findings and Anxiety in Individuals With Arrhythmia: A Randomized Prospective, Single-Blind and Placebo-Controlled Study

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Reiki, which is a complementary and traditional method, on heart rhythm, biochemistry and cortisol findings, and anxiety in individuals with arrhythmia.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Reiki has an essential place in modern medicine and the nursing profession because it cures many diseases resistant to known treatments, has no side effects, is easy to apply, and is safe, effective, and economical. In the Reiki method, the energy is transferred through the hands, and a care provider nurse is a tool that performs their profession by touching in patient care and also shares the universal life energy, transferring the flowing and formed energy. When the literature is reviewed, there are a limited number of studies in which Reiki affects heart rate, cortisol level, and vital signs. However, there are not enough studies examining the effects of heart patients' symptoms, anxiety, and their condition on Reiki results. In this context, this study aimed to investigate the effects of Reiki energy on heart rhythm, biochemistry, cortisol findings, and anxiety in people with arrhythmia.

The study was conducted as a pretest-posttest, randomized prospective, single-blind and placebo-controlled. The study was conducted with patients who applied to a training and research hospital with arrhythmia complaints between April 5 and June 30, 2022. The data was collected using "Personal Information Form (PIF)" and "Beck Anxiety Scale (BAS)". Also, biochemical tests and cortisol findings and ECG (Electrocardiography) analyses were assessed.

PIF and BAS were applied to patients who agreed to participate in the study and met the inclusion criteria. Then blood was drawn for biochemical tests and cortisol findings and EKG was taken. Patients were randomized 1:1 into groups by a single therapist at a single institution according to a parallel design. There were three treatment arms in the study: Reiki treatment (n=22), Sham Reiki treatment (placebo)(n=22), and a control group with no treatment (n=22). A second-degree Reiki practitioner applied Reiki to the energy centers for 30 minutes in the Reiki group. On the second day, distant Reiki was also conducted for 30 minutes. The Sham Reiki group, on the other hand, was handled similarly to the Reiki practice by a student who had not been trained in Reiki. In the control group, nothing was done. One week later, BAS was applied to all patients, blood was drawn for biochemical testing and an ECG was recorded.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

66

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey
    • None Selected
      • Ankara, None Selected, Turkey, 06050
        • Nursemin Ünal

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 and over
  • No communication problem
  • Diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia
  • Who agree to participate in the Reiki practice
  • Who is competent to answer the data collection tools to be used in the research
  • Patients who have not used complementary practices in the last six months

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Reiki practitioner or trainer,
  • Have received energy therapies such as Reiki/therapeutic touch,
  • Patients who were diagnosed with another disease during the research process.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Reiki Group
Personal Information Form (PIF) and Beck Anxiety Scale (BAS) were administered to the Reiki group through face-to-face interviews. Then, blood was taken for biochemical blood and cortisol findings and ECG was taken. After the pre-tests of the patients were completed, the application was made under the guidance of a researcher with a Usui Reiki Master & Teacher degree and by a researcher with Reiki II training. In accordance with the Reiki Practice Protocol, an empty and silent room was selected in the hospital. Reiki was applied one-on-one to energy centers (crown chakra, forehead chakra, throat chakra, heart chakra, solar plexus, sacral region, root chakra, knees, ankle and feet) for 30 minutes. On the second day, 30 minutes of distant Reiki was applied. BAS was administered 1 week later; ECG was taken and biochemistry blood was taken.
Other: Reiki

Consisting of the words "rei" meaning "spirit" and "ki" meaning "universal life force", Reiki means spiritually directed life force energy. Reiki practice has an important place in modern medicine and the nursing profession because it cures many diseases resistant to known treatments, has no side effects, is easy to apply, is safe, effective and economical.

In the Reiki method, which is one of the complementary and alternative methods, energy is transferred through the hands. Its basis is based on the principle that when there is a blockage in an energy center, disease occurs and the energy transferred by touching, strengthens and heals the body's self-healing ability by opening the blockages. Reiki practitioners who have received training and initiation perform the practice by holding their hands in certain positions on the recipient's body.
Placebo Comparator: Sham Reiki Group
Personal Information Form (PIF) and Beck Anxiety Scale (Scale) were administered to this group by face-to-face interviews. Then, blood was taken for biochemical blood and cortisol findings and ECG was taken. After the pre-tests of the patients were completed. The Sham Reiki group was practiced by a student nurse who did not receive Reiki training by imitating the hand positions used in Reiki practice. Before the applications, the researcher, the student was told about aura equalization and chakras, the student only imitated gestures and facial expressions, but did not give Reiki energy to the patients. BAS was administered 1 week later; ECG was taken and biochemistry blood was taken.
Other: Sham Reiki
Sham means to pretend; therefore, in this study, the sham Reiki placebo provider pretended to perform a Reiki session by moving her hands on the patient's body in a specific order for a 30-minute period following strictly operationalized measures.
No Intervention: Control Group
Personal Information Form (PIF) and Beck Anxiety Scale (BAS) were administered to this group by face-to-face interviews. Then, blood was taken for biochemical blood and cortisol findings and ECG was taken. After 1 week, BAS, blood tests and ECG have applied again.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from Sodium values at a week
Time Frame: -Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
In this section, there is Sodium value required for the normal electrical activity of the heart.
-Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
Change from Potassium values at a week
Time Frame: -Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
In this section, there is Potassium value required for the normal electrical activity of the heart.
-Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
Change from Calcium values at a week
Time Frame: -Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
In this section, there is Calcium value required for the normal electrical activity of the heart.
-Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
Change from Magnesium values at a week
Time Frame: -Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
In this section, there is Magnesium value required for the normal electrical activity of the heart.
-Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
Change from Baseline Cortisol at a week
Time Frame: -Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
In addition, individuals with arrhythmia experience stress and have a blood cortisol value due to the relationship between stress and cortisol hormone.
-Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
Change from Baseline Heart Rhythm at a week
Time Frame: -Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
In order to determine cardiac arrhythmias, 12-lead ECG was taken from the individuals within the scope of the study.
-Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
Change from Baseline Beck Anxiety Scale at a week
Time Frame: -Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.
The scale measured the frequency of anxiety symptoms and signs experienced by the individual. The scale is a Likert-type scale consisting of 21 items and scores between 0-3. The minimum score to be taken from the scale is 0 and the maximum score is 63. As the score obtained from the scale increases, the anxiety of the individual increases.
-Within 1 hour of first admission. -A week later.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Ankara Medipol University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Nilay BEKTAS AKPINAR, PhD, Ankara Medipol University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

April 13, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 30, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

July 25, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 29, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 29, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

August 2, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 2, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 29, 2022

Last Verified

July 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • E.60364

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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