The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Intervention on Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines

C-reactive protein,Interleukin 6,Tumor necrosis factor-alpha,Trait mindfulness,Emotional symptoms,Physical symptoms

Background: Hemodialysis is considered as an effective therapy to remove harmful wastes from
 the body and to improve the quality of life in patients suffering from end-stage renal
 disease (ESRD). However, patients who receive hemodialysis perceive various stressors that
 are harmful to their physical and psychological well-being, particularly the immune system.
 Therefore, it is necessary to implement effective and practical therapeutic strategies to
 enhance the quality of life in this population. Mindfulness-based intervention is an
 effective mind-body connection program that is inadequately used in patients undergoing
 hemodialysis.
 
 Objective: The current study aimed to investigate the effect of mindfulness-based
 intervention on physical and psychological symptoms (e.g., stress, anxiety, and depression)
 and pro-inflammatory biomarker levels (e.g., TNF, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein) in
 patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis.
 
 Method: Repeated measures, randomized, control experimental design was used. A convenience
 non-probability sampling technique to select the sample from the hemodialysis unit in the
 Princess Haya Bint AL_Hussine Hospital. The participants who were eligible and agreed to
 participate were randomly distributed into experimental (n = 31) and control (n = 30) groups.
 During their hemodialysis sessions, the experimental group' participants practiced 30-minute
 mindfulness-based intervention; three times a week for eight weeks). The Mindful Attention
 Awareness Scale (MAAS), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale - 21 (DASS-21), Patient Health
 Questionnaire (PHQ-15), and serum blood levels (for tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, and
 C-reactive protein) were used to measure the dependent variables for both groups at baseline,
 after five weeks of the intervention, and at its end (eight weeks).