Effect of Healing on Rheumatoid Arthritis

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Registration Number: NCT00967395
• Lead Sponsor: Henning Bliddal

Brief Summary

The hypothesis is that healing may influence the patient's general status by altering psychological as well as other body functions of importance for the rheumatoid arthritis. This is tested in a three group design with a control group and two groups receiving healing with or without a healer present. The study is randomized and double blind.

Detailed Description

The central claim of healers is that this process facilitates self-healing in the patient. Spiritual healing includes several categories, including 'therapeutic touch' and 'intercessory prayer', and the healing may be attributed to God, spirits, universal forces or energies, biological healing energies residing in the healer, or self-healing powers or energies thought to reside latent in the healed organism. The highly controversial hypothesized effects of distant or spiritual healing contradict our traditional sense of reality and are in conflict with what is generally viewed as being in correspondence with modern science.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2008-01
• Primary Completion: 2009-01
• Study First Submitted: 2009-08-26
• Study First Submitted QC: 2009-08-26
• Study First Posted: 2009-08-27
• Study Completion: 2009-09
• Status Verified: 2012-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2012-01-05
• Last Update Posted: 2012-01-06

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 90

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a stable medication the past 3 months written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Not able to arrange own transport, language problems

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
DAS28	8 weeks follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Colour Doppler fraction	8 weeks follow-up