The Effects of Stress Reduction on Surgical Wound Healing

NCT ID: NCT00633737

Last Updated: 2013-12-23

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

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

70 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2008-03-31

Study Completion Date

2010-12-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a stress reduction intervention prior to surgery can improve wound healing and recovery.The investigators hypothesise that patients who receive a psychological stress reduction intervention prior to surgery will report lower stress and higher perceived control, have lower stress hormones, better wound healing and better self-reported recovery than patients who receive standard care alone.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

In previous prospective research, psychological stress has been shown to slow the healing of small superficial wounds and impair surgical healing. We will investigate whether a psychological intervention to reduce stress can improve surgical healing.

Ninety patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy will be randomised to receive either standard care or a brief pre-surgical psychological intervention plus standard care. Patients will complete a pre-surgical questionnaire to assess stress, anxiety, depression, illness perceptions and current health, at least 3 days prior to surgery. Then the intervention will be delivered. A second questionnaire on the morning of surgery will reassess stress, anxiety and illness perceptions to see whether the intervention has reduced stress and increased control perceptions. Plasma catecholamines and salivary cortisol will be tested to assess the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing stress-related hormones and to investigate their role in wound healing. During surgery 2 small expanded polytetrafluroethylene tubes will be inserted in the wound, which will be removed after 7 days. Wound healing will be assessed by hydroxyproline and total protein deposition in the tubes, as well as by the presence of wound infection. Patients' post-surgical recovery, including pain and fatigue, will also be assessed. If this brief psychological intervention can improve wound healing and aid recovery, it would provide a simple strategy to improve outcomes in surgery.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Wound Healing Stress Surgery

Keywords

Explore important study keywords that can help with search, categorization, and topic discovery.

Psychology Laparoscopy Cholecystectomy Psychoneuroimmunology Wound healing Preparation for surgery Stress reduction Stress Relaxation

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

1

Stress reduction intervention

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Stress reduction intervention

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

In addition to standard care, patients in the intervention group will receive a one-hour individually delivered programme administered once by a psychologist at least 3 days prior to surgery. This session aims to reduce stress and involves teaching relaxation and guided imagery exercises. Patients are provided a CD (or audiotape)of the relaxation instructions to take home and practice once a day.

2

Standard care

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Stress reduction intervention

In addition to standard care, patients in the intervention group will receive a one-hour individually delivered programme administered once by a psychologist at least 3 days prior to surgery. This session aims to reduce stress and involves teaching relaxation and guided imagery exercises. Patients are provided a CD (or audiotape)of the relaxation instructions to take home and practice once a day.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* planned elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy at Manukau Surgical Centre
* able to understand English
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

80 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Health Research Council, New Zealand

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Auckland, New Zealand

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Andrew G Hill

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Elizabeth A Broadbent, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The University of Auckland

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

The University of Auckland

Auckland, , New Zealand

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

New Zealand

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Broadbent E, Kahokehr A, Booth RJ, Thomas J, Windsor JA, Buchanan CM, Wheeler BR, Sammour T, Hill AG. A brief relaxation intervention reduces stress and improves surgical wound healing response: a randomised trial. Brain Behav Immun. 2012 Feb;26(2):212-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2011.06.014. Epub 2011 Jun 28.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 21741471 (View on PubMed)

Kahokehr A, Broadbent E, Wheeler BR, Sammour T, Hill AG. The effect of perioperative psychological intervention on fatigue after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized controlled trial. Surg Endosc. 2012 Jun;26(6):1730-6. doi: 10.1007/s00464-011-2101-7. Epub 2012 Jan 19.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 22258294 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

Wound healing study

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id