Positive Health Online

Abstract

REYCHLER and COLLEAGUES, 1. Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Pôle de Pneumologie, ORL & Dermatologie, Université Catholique de Louvain, Bruxelles, Belgium; Service de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium; Service de Pneumologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium. Electronic address: Gregory.reychler@uclouvain.be ; 2. Service de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium. Electronic address: gilles.caty@uclouvain.be ; 3. Service de Pneumologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium. Electronic address: aude.arcq@student.uclouvain.be ;4. Service de Pneumologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium. Electronic address: laurie.lebrun@student.uclouvain.be ; 5. AIDS Reference Centre, Service de Médecine Interne, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium. leila.belkhir@uclouvain.be ; 6. AIDS Reference Centre, Service de Médecine Interne, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium. Electronic address: jean.yombi@uclouvain.be ; 7. Service d'infectiologie, Clinique Saint-Pierre, Ottignies, Belgium. Jean-Christophe.MAROT@cspo.be conducted a randomized trial to measure the effect of massage therapy on anxiety, depression, hyperventilation and quality of life in HIV infected patients.

Background

HIV infection is often preceded or accompanied by psychiatric comorbidities. These disorders improve with complementary therapies. The aim of this study was to measure the effect of massage therapy on anxiety, depression, hyperventilation and quality of life in HIV infected patients.

Methodology

Adult HIV-infected patients were randomized (n=29) in massage therapy group (one hour a week during four weeks) and control group. Anxiety and depression (HADS-A and HADS-D), hyperventilation (Nijmegen questionnaire) and quality of life (WHOQOL-HIV) were evaluated at inclusion and after 4 weeks.

Results

At inclusion, 51% and 17% of the patients had a positive HADS-A and HADS-D score respectively. Two facets from WHOQOL-HIV ("Home environment" and "Death and dying" (p=0.04)) were different between groups. After the four week massage therapy, a significant improvement was observed only for Nijmegen questionnaire (p=0.01) and HADS-A (p=0.04) contrarily to WHOQOL-HIV and HADS-D. Domains of the WHOQOL-HIV did not improve following the massage therapy. Only "Pain and discomfort" facet improved after massage therapy (p=0.04).

Conclusion

This study highlights the positive impact of a four week massage therapy on anxiety and hyperventilation in HIV infected patients. However, neither benefit of this program was observed on depression and quality of life.

References

Reychler G1, Caty G2, Arcq A3, Lebrun L4, Belkhir L5, Yombi JC6, Marot JC7. Effects of massage therapy on anxiety, depression, hyperventilation and quality of life in HIV infected patients: A randomized controlled trial. Complement Ther Med. 32:109-114. Jun 2017. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2017.05.002. Epub May 11 2017.