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Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP)

NCT ID: NCT00179491

Last Updated: 2007-11-05

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

1802 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

1998-04-30

Study Completion Date

2001-11-30

Brief Summary

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Intercessory prayer is widely believed to influence recovery from illness, but claims of benefits are not supported by well-controlled clinical trials. Prior studies have not addressed whether prayer itself or knowledge/certainty that prayer is being provided may influence outcome. We evaluated whether (1) receiving intercessory prayer or (2) being certain of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with uncomplicated recovery after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Detailed Description

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Intercessory prayer is widely believed to influence recovery from illness, but claims of benefits are not supported by well-controlled clinical trials. Prior studies have not addressed whether prayer itself or knowledge/certainty that prayer is being provided may influence outcome. We evaluated whether (1) receiving intercessory prayer or (2) being certain of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with uncomplicated recovery after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Conditions

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Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery

Keywords

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coronary artery bypass grafting surgery

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Group 1

604 patients received intercessory prayer after being informed they may or may not receive prayers (Group 1)

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Intercessory Prayer

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

14 days of intercessory prayer from 3 sites

2

597 patients did not receive prayer after being informed they may or may not receive prayer (Group 2)

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Group 3

601 patients received intercessory prayer after being informed they would receive it (Group 3).

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Intercessory Prayer

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

14 days of intercessory prayer from 3 sites

Interventions

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Intercessory Prayer

14 days of intercessory prayer from 3 sites

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age 18 years or older
* Able to read or understand English

Exclusion Criteria

* Scheduled for emergent CABG (next available operating room slot)
* CABG more than 14 days after enrollment
* Other planned surgery within 30 days of CABG
* Minimally invasive CABG (non full sternotomy incisions)
* CABG with planned valve replacement, stent, angioplasty or carotid endarterectomy
* Or had ongoing chest pain or unstable angina, as defined by their physicians
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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John Templeton Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Medstar Health Research Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Mayo Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Principal Investigators

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Herbert Benson, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Mind/Body Medical Institute

Other Identifiers

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2001-P-002125

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id