Stress Management during the Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Cycle May Slow Down First Embryo Cleavage and Accelerate Embryo Compaction: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Georges Raad ◽  
Judy Tanios ◽  
Simone Kerbaj ◽  
Youmna Mourad ◽  
Fadi Fakih ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Management ◽  
Granulosa Cells ◽  
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Icsi Cycle ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
Embryo Cleavage

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> A firm consensus on the effectiveness of psychological interventions during infertility treatment has not been reached yet in terms of mental health and pregnancy rates. Moreover, the influence of these interventions on embryo cleavage kinetics has not been investigated. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this work was to study whether stress management in couples undergoing an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle influences stress levels, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels in granulosa cells, and cleavage-stage embryos. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Infertile couples were randomized into a treatment as usual (TAU) group (<i>n</i> = 30) and stress management program (SMP) group (<i>n</i> = 29) at the beginning of an ICSI cycle. Couples in the SMP group attended education and relaxation sessions at each visit to the clinic for folliculometry. The perceived stress scale (PSS) was used to assess stress levels at the beginning and end of the cycle. Moreover, mtDNA levels of granulosa cells and embryo morphokinetics were evaluated. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Post-intervention, women in the SMP group had significantly lower PSS scores than their initial PSS (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001; effect size, ES = 0.5) and than the final PSS of the TAU group (<i>p</i> = 0.02; ES = 0.09). Additionally, mtDNA levels were significantly lower in luteal granulosa cells of the SMP group than the TAU group (<i>p</i> = 0.02). An earlier time of pronuclei appearance (<i>p</i> = 0.03) and time to 2 cells (<i>p</i> = 0.015) and a faster time to full compaction (<i>p</i> = 0.045) were detected in the embryos of the SMP group compared with the TAU group. <b><i>Conclusion(s):</i></b> The implemented program may reduce stress levels, retard first embryo cleavage, and accelerate embryo compaction. Further studies with an active control group are needed to confirm these results.

scholarly journals Web-based stress management for newly diagnosed cancer patients (STREAM): A randomized, wait-list controlled intervention study.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (18_suppl) ◽  
pp. LBA10002-LBA10002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viviane Hess ◽  
Astrid Grossert ◽  
Judith Alder ◽  
Sandra Scherer ◽  
Barbara Handschin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Management ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Wait List ◽  
Newly Diagnosed ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Minimal Contact

LBA10002 Background: Being diagnosed with cancer causes major distress, yet the majority of newly diagnosed cancer patients (pts) lack psychological support. Internet interventions overcome many barriers for seeking support. We assess efficacy and feasibility of a web-based minimal-contact stress management intervention (STREAM) for newly diagnosed cancer pts. Methods: In a prospective, wait-list controlled trial, newly diagnosed cancer pts were randomized within 12 weeks of starting anti-cancer treatment to an immediate or delayed (control group) 8-week, web-based intervention. The intervention consisted of 8 modules with weekly written feedback by a psychologist (“minimal-contact”) based on well-established stress management manuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy in terms of improvement in QoL (FACIT-F), decrease in distress (DT), anxiety/depression (HADS), as compared to pts in the wait-list group. 120 pts were needed to show (80% power, 2-sided α of 0.05) a clinically meaningful difference of ≥ 9 in FACT score after the immediate intervention (week 8 = T2). Results: 225 pts applied online. 128 pts were randomized. Median age was 52 (22-77)y. 108 (84%) were female. The majority of pts were treated in the curative setting (117pts; 91%), with chemotherapy (74 pts; 58%), for breast cancer (91pts; 71%). Self-reported distress at baseline ( = stratification factor) was above 4 on a 10-point scale (DT) with 96 pts (75%). At T2, QoL (FACIT-F) was sign. increased (p = 0.044; ANCOVA adjusted for baseline-distress) and distress sign. lowered (p = 0.032) in the intervention group as compared to the wait-list control. Median score (lower/upper quartile) for FACIT-F at baseline/T2 was 101.0(80.8/120)/119.0(98.0/132) and 108.3(87.8/124.0) /109.5(97.2/121.0); of DT at baseline/T2 was 6(5/8)/4(3/6) and 6(5/8)/6(4/7) for the intervention and control group, respectively. Decrease in HADS was not sign. different between the groups (p = 0.273). Conclusions: With STREAM, we open the field of minimal-contact online interventions to newly diagnosed cancer pts and show that an 8-week web-based stress management program is feasible and effective in improving QoL and distress. Clinical trial information: NCT02289014.

scholarly journals Effects of smartphone-based stress management on improving work engagement among nurses in Vietnam: a secondary analysis of a three-arm randomized controlled trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natsu Sasaki ◽  
Kotaro Imamura ◽  
Thuy Thi Thu Tran ◽  
Huong Thanh Nguyen ◽  
Kazuto Kuribayashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Management ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Small Effect Size ◽  
Stress Management Program

BACKGROUND Work engagement is important for employee’s well-being and work performance. However, no intervention study has investigated the effect of eMental Health intervention on work engagement among workers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to examine the effects of the newly developed smartphone-based stress management program (“ABC stress management”) on improving work engagement among hospital nurses in Vietnam, a LMIC. METHODS Full-time nurses (N= 949) were randomly assigned to two types of intervention groups and a control group. A 6-week, 6-lesson program offering basic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-based stress management skills); provided in free-choice (Program A) and fixed order (Program B). Work engagement was assessed at baseline, 3- and 7-month follow-ups in each of the three groups. RESULTS Program B showed a significant intervention effect on improving work engagement at 3-month follow-up (p = 0.049) with a small effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.16). Neither program achieved effectiveness at a 7-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The study demonstrated that a smartphone-based stress management program was effective in improving work engagement in nurses in Vietnam, but the effect was small and temporary. This smartphone-based low-cost intervention may improve work engagement for workers in LMICs. CLINICALTRIAL UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) UMIN000033139.

scholarly journals A Short Mindfulness Retreat for Students to Reduce Stress and Promote Self-Compassion: Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Exploring Both an Indoor and a Natural Outdoor Retreat Setting

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 910
Author(s):  
Dorthe Djernis ◽  
Mia S. O’Toole ◽  
Lone O. Fjorback ◽  
Helle Svenningsen ◽  
Mimi Y. Mehlsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Randomised Controlled

Here, we developed and examined a new way of disseminating mindfulness in nature to people without meditation experience, based on the finding that mindfulness conducted in natural settings may have added benefits. We evaluated a 5-day residential programme aiming to reduce stress and improve mental health outcomes. We compared an indoor and an outdoor version of the programme to a control group in a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT). Sixty Danish university students experiencing moderate to high levels of stress were randomised into a residential mindfulness programme indoors (n = 20), in nature (n = 22), or a control group (n = 18). Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale and the Self-Compassion Scale (primary outcomes) along with additional secondary outcome measures at the start and end of the program and 3 months after. Stress was decreased with small to medium effect sizes post-intervention, although not statistically significant. Self-compassion increased post-intervention, but effect sizes were small and not significant. At follow-up, changes in stress were not significant, however self-compassion increased for both interventions with medium-sized effects. For the intervention groups, medium- to large-sized positive effects on trait mindfulness after a behavioural task were found post-intervention, and small- to medium-sized effects in self-reported mindfulness were seen at follow-up. Connectedness to Nature was the only outcome measure with an incremental effect in nature, exceeding the control with a medium-sized effect at follow-up. All participants in the nature arm completed the intervention, and so did 97% of the participants in all three arms. Overall, the results encourage the conduct of a larger-scale RCT, but only after adjusting some elements of the programme to better fit and take advantage of the potential benefits of the natural environment.

scholarly journals Impact of a behaviourally focused nutrition education intervention on attitudes and practices related to eating habits and activity levels in Indian adolescents

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Panchali Moitra ◽  
Jagmeet Madan ◽  
Preeti Verma
Keyword(s):  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Indian Adolescents

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a behaviourally focused nutrition education (NE) intervention based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) to improve knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) related to eating habits and activity levels in 10–12-year-old adolescents in Mumbai, India. Design: School-based cluster randomised controlled trial. The experimental group (EG) received weekly NE and three parent sessions over 12 weeks; no sessions were conducted for the control group (CG). The theoretical framework of HBM and focus group discussion results guided the development of behaviour change communication strategies and NE aids. KAP were measured using a validated survey instrument, administered at baseline and endline in EG and CG. Paired and independent t tests determined within-group and between-group changes in pre–post scores. Setting: Two aided and two private schools that were randomly allocated to either an EG or CG. Participants: Adolescent boys and girls (n 498; EG n 292 and CG n 206). Results: EG reported improvements in mean knowledge (39·3%), attitude (7·3 %), diet (9·6 %) and activity practice (9·4%) scores from pre to post intervention. No significant changes were observed in CG. Significant improvements in scores associated with perceived benefits, barriers and self-efficacy, breakfast and vegetable consumption, and moderate-to-vigorous activities were observed in EG. Conclusions: Integrating NE into the academic curriculum and adopting evidence-based lessons that entail targeted information delivery and participatory activities can improve knowledge, foster right attitudes and facilitate better eating and activity-related practices in Indian adolescents.

scholarly journals Equol effects on AGE skin products, visceral fat and climacteric symptoms in post-menopausal women: A randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Remi Yoshikata ◽  
Khin Zay Yar Myint ◽  
Hiroaki Ohta ◽  
Yoko Ishigaki
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Visceral Fat ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Climacteric Symptoms ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Menopausal Women ◽  
Post Menopausal

Abstract Introduction: Equol, an isoflavone derivative whose chemical structure is similar to estrogen, is considered as a potentially effective agent for relieving climacteric symptoms, for the prevention of the lifestyle-related diseases, and for aging care in post-menopausal women. We investigated the effect of an equol-containing supplement on metabolism and aging, and climacteric symptoms, with respect to internally-produced equol in post-menopausal women.Methods: A single center, randomized controlled trial (registration number: UMIN000030975) on 57 post-menopausal Japanese women (mean age: 56±5.37 years), was conducted. Twenty-seven women received the equol supplement, while the remaining received Control. Metabolic and aging-related biomarkers were compared before and after the 3-month intervention. Climacteric symptoms were assessed every month using a validated self-administered questionnaire in Japanese post-menopausal women. Results: Three months post intervention, the treatment group showed significant improvement in climacteric symptoms, when compared to the Control group (81% vs. 53% respectively, p=0.045). We did not observe any beneficial effect on metabolic and aging-related biomarkers in the intervention group. However, in certain populations significant improvement in skin auto-fluorescence, which is a measurement of AGE skin products, and visceral fat area was observed, especially among equol producers. Conclusion: Women receiving equol supplement showed improved climacteric symptoms. This study offered a new hypothesis that there may be a synergy between supplemented equol and endogenously-produced equol to improve skin aging and visceral fat in certain populations.

scholarly journals Effects of two types of smartphone-based stress management programmes on depressive and anxiety symptoms among hospital nurses in Vietnam: a protocol for three-arm randomised controlled trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e025138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kotaro Imamura ◽  
Thuy Thi Thu Tran ◽  
Huong Thanh Nguyen ◽  
Kazuto Kuribayashi ◽  
Asuka Sakuraya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Management ◽  
Free Choice ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Hospital Nurses ◽  
Management Intervention ◽  
Stress Management Intervention ◽  
Randomised Controlled

IntroductionDue to an increasing demand for healthcare in low-income and middle-income countries in Asia, it is important to develop a strategy to manage work-related stress in healthcare settings, particularly among nurses in these countries. The purpose of this three-arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) is to examine the effects of a newly developed smartphone-based multimodule stress management programme on reducing severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms as primary outcomes at 3-month and 7-month follow-ups among hospital nurses in Vietnam.Methods and analysisThe target study population will be registered nurses working in a large general hospital (which employs approximately about 2000 nurses) in Vietnam. They will be invited to participate in this study. Participants who fulfil the eligibility criteria will be randomly allocated to the free-choice, multimodule stress management (intervention group A, n=360), the internet cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT), that is, fixed-order stress management (intervention group B, n=360), or a treatment as usual control group (n=360). Two types (free-choice and fixed sequential order) of smartphone-based six-module stress management programmes will be developed. Participants in the intervention groups will be required to complete one of the programmes within 10 weeks after the baseline survey. The primary outcomes are depressive and anxiety symptoms, measured by using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS) at 3-month and 7 month follow-ups.Ethics and disseminationThe study procedures have been approved by the Research Ethics Review Board of Graduate School of Medicine/Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo (no 11991) and the Ethical Review Board for Biomedical Research of Hanoi University of Public Health (no 346/2018/YTCC-HD3). If a significant effect of the intervention programmes will be found in the RCT, the programmes will be made available to all nurses in the hospital including the control group. If the positive effects are found in this RCT, the e-stress management programmes will be disseminated to all nurses in Vietnam.Trial registration numberUMIN000033139; Pre-results.

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of a Dyadic Pain Management Program for Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Chronic Pain: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (14) ◽  
pp. 4966
Author(s):  
Ziyan Li ◽  
Mimi Tse ◽  
Angel Tang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Pain Management Program ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
Experimental Group

Background: Chronic pain is a major health problem among older adults and their informal caregivers, which has negative effects on their physical and psychological status. The dyadic pain management program (DPMP) is provided to community-dwelling older adults and informal caregivers to help the dyads reduce pain symptoms, improve the quality of life, develop good exercise habits, as well as cope and break the vicious circle of pain. Methods: A pilot randomized controlled trial was designed and all the dyads were randomly divided into two groups: the DPMP group and control group. Dyads in the DPMP group participated in an 8-week DPMP (4-week face-to-face program and 4-week home-based program), whereas dyads in the control group received one page of simple pain-related information. Results: In total, 64 dyads participated in this study. For baseline comparisons, no significant differences were found between the two groups. After the interventions, the pain score was significantly reduced from 4.25 to 2.57 in the experimental group, respectively. In the repeated measures ANOVA, the differences in pain score (F = 107.787, p < 0.001, d = 0.777) was statistically significant for the group-by-time interaction. After the interventions, the experimental group participants demonstrated significantly higher pain self-efficacy compared with the control group (F = 80.535, p < 0.001, d = 0.722). Furthermore, the elderly increased exercise time significantly (F = 111.212, p < 0.001, d = 0.782) and reported developing good exercise habits. Conclusions: These results provide preliminary support for the effectiveness of a DPMP for relieving the symptoms of chronic pain among the elderly.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of hamstring stretching using a pressure biofeedback unit for 4 weeks: A randomized controlled trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (02) ◽  
pp. 99-107
Author(s):  
Jin-Oh Ahn ◽  
Jong-Hyuck Weon ◽  
Eun-Kyung Koh ◽  
Do-Young Jung
Keyword(s):  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Knee Extension ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Lower Back ◽  
Hamstring Muscles ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Pressure Biofeedback

Background: Stretching and length test of hamstring muscles have been performed commonly to manage lower back pain (LBP) in sports rehabilitation. Previous literatures addressed that stretching techniques and length test of hamstring muscles should be performed with the pelvic maintained in an anterior tilt position. However, there is no study to determine the effectiveness of pressure biofeedback unit (PBU) to maintain in anterior pelvic tilting (APT) on length test and stretching of hamstring muscles. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of hamstring muscles stretching using a PBU. Methods: Forty participants with shortness of hamstrings randomized into two groups. Participants performed the active knee extension (AKE) stretching without (control group) or with PBU (intervention group) for four weeks. AKE tests without and with PBU were administered three times before and after hamstrings stretching by each group. Results: The AKE test without PBU showed a significant main effect of time ([Formula: see text]) but not of group ([Formula: see text]) on the AKE angle. The AKE test with PBU showed a significant increase in the AKE angle in the post-intervention compared to the pre-intervention assessments in both groups ([Formula: see text]). The difference of AKE angle between the pre- and post-intervention results was significantly greater in the intervention group than in the control group ([Formula: see text]). Conclusion: We recommend the use of a PBU to maintain the pelvic anterior tilting position when performing the AKE test or AKE stretching.

The Effect of Expressive Writing on Symptoms of Depression in College Students: Randomized Controlled Trial

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 427-450
Author(s):  
Sarah M. C. Robertson ◽  
Stephen D. Short ◽  
Abigail Asper ◽  
Kelly Venezia ◽  
Catherine Yetman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Physical Illness ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
First Year ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Physician Visits ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression

Introduction: The first year of college can be particularly difficult for students, as they typically face a number of emotional, developmental, social, and financial challenges. Expressive writing (EW) is a writing intervention that requires participants to write about their thoughts and feelings related to a particular event over several days. Methods: Participants in this study included 90 first-year undergraduate students. Participants were assigned to the EW condition (writing about their thoughts and feelings related to their transition to college) or a control condition (writing about any object or event of their choosing). Participants completed 3 consecutive days of writing, and then completed two follow-up visits that occurred one month and six months post-intervention. Participants were divided into two groups based on their initial depression scores (one group with minimal symptoms, and a second group with mild/moderate/severe symptoms). Results: Among participants in the mild/moderate/severe group, those in the EW condition demonstrated significant decreases in depression symptoms over the six-month study period, while participants in the control condition did not. Among this same subset of participants, those in the EW condition also demonstrated significantly fewer physician visits due to physical illness when compared to the control group. Changes in depression and physical illness visits were not found for participants with minimal symptoms of depression. Discussion: EW is a low-cost procedure that has been empirically demonstrated to alleviate symptoms of depression six months post-intervention. However, this finding only held for participants who were initially categorized in the group of participants with mild/moderate/severe symptoms of depression (as opposed to those participants initially categorized with minimal symptoms of depression). Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.

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