Impact of Yoga and Gentle Massage Practices on Symptom Management in Patients Undergoing HSCT

NCT ID: NCT06118853

Last Updated: 2025-03-20

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

NA

Total Enrollment

35 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-11-21

Study Completion Date

2025-03-01

Brief Summary

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This project aims to observe the impact of yoga and gentle massage practices on symptom management in patients undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) at the Israelite Albert Einstein Hospital. It is a prospective, open label, randomized clinical study, comparing the practice of yoga or gentle massage combined with standard treatment versus standard treatment alone. Using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System in 8 sessions, the investigators will analyze the domains of fatigue, pain, nausea, anxiety, and well-being before and after each session. The investigators will also assess Quality of Life - BMT, changes in Religiosity Scale before and after the intervention, and, at the end, Patient Satisfaction and subjective experience through a qualitative questionnaire. The hypothesis is that the practice of yoga and gentle massage combined with standard treatment is superior to standard treatment alone in symptom management in patients undergoing HSCT.

Detailed Description

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Primary Objective: To assess the impact of yoga and/or gentle massage practices plus standard treatment versus standard treatment alone on symptom management in patients undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT), evaluated using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS).

Secondary Objectives:

* To analyze changes in the Quality-of-Life Scale during HSCT.
* To analyze changes in the Religiosity Scale during HSCT.
* To analyze the subjective experience of the patient during HSCT.
* To analyze patient satisfaction during HSCT. Hypothesis: The practice of yoga or gentle massage combined with standard treatment is superior to standard treatment alone in symptom management in patients undergoing HSCT.

Population: The study will be conducted at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein (HIAE), with patients admitted to the Oncology and Hematology Center for Bone Marrow Transplantation. Only after obtaining Informed Consent (IC) from the patient, clinical and sociodemographic variables during hospitalization will be extracted from the institutional electronic medical record database: age, gender, month/year and type of transplant, conditioning intensity, donor type, cell source, and underlying disease.

Inclusion Criteria: Adults aged 18 and above; admitted to HIAE, eligible for Bone Marrow Transplantation; patients who speak and read Portuguese.

Exclusion Criteria: Patients with hearing impairment; patients previously diagnosed with psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia.

Sample Size: The sample will consist of a minimum of 40 patients for this study.

Based on a pilot sample (n = 40) with only one session of yoga or gentle massage, a variation of 1.58 points (SD = 1.58 points) in fatigue improvement was observed. To find a mean difference of at least 1.5 points between the intervention group (yoga or gentle massage plus standard treatment) and the control group (standard treatment alone) in the proposed 8 sessions, with a power of 80% and a confidence level of 95%, the required sample size for the study would be 18 patients in each group. Since, in addition to fatigue, other parameters such as pain, nausea, anxiety, and well-being will also be evaluated, the investigators will use a sample of at least 20 patients per group to account for these parameters as well, totaling at least 40 patients in the study.

Randomization: Randomization will be carried out according to the randomization block generated by the Redcap tool. Therefore, upon agreeing to participate in the protocol, each patient will be entered into Redcap and randomized according to the specified parameters, stratified by age groups: 18 to 40 / 41 to 60 / above 61 years, and by type of transplant: autologous, allogeneic, and umbilical cord.

Conditions

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Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Bone Marrow Transplantation

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Patients will be randomized into two groups: Group A (control): standard treatment /Group B (intervention): yoga + gentle massage + standard treatment. Group B (intervention) will receive 8 individual integrative practice sessions at the bedside, each lasting 15 to 20 minutes, with 2 sessions per week during the following periods: from admission until D+0 / until D+7 / until D+14 / until D+21 or discharge. The therapist will choose the integrative practices that best suit the patient for each session, based on their psychophysical state and symptoms, as there can be many variations during HSCT. Group A (control) will receive 8 visits from integrative therapists who will remain in the patient's room, able to interact but without offering integrative practices, during the same periods described above. After D+21, these patients will also receive 8 integrative practice sessions at the bedside or in the Integrative Medicine room.
Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Group A (control)

Standard treatment for HSCT

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Group B (intervention)

Yoga or gentle massage plus standard treatment for HSCT

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

yoga or gentle massage plus standard treatment for HSCT

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The yoga sessions will be conducted at the patient's bedside, using one or more of the following techniques: gentle stretches (asanas), guided relaxation (savasana), slow and deep diaphragmatic breathing (pranayama), and meditative exercises focusing on natural breathing or visualization of a soothing place (dhyana). From these techniques, the integrative therapist will choose what best suits the patient for each session, based on their psychophysical state and symptoms presented, as there can be many variations during HSCT. Gentle massage is characterized by soft touches using light pressure, primarily using the palm of the hand, with a slow and steady rhythm across the entire body. It can be performed over clothing or even over the bedsheet and blanket.

Interventions

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yoga or gentle massage plus standard treatment for HSCT

The yoga sessions will be conducted at the patient's bedside, using one or more of the following techniques: gentle stretches (asanas), guided relaxation (savasana), slow and deep diaphragmatic breathing (pranayama), and meditative exercises focusing on natural breathing or visualization of a soothing place (dhyana). From these techniques, the integrative therapist will choose what best suits the patient for each session, based on their psychophysical state and symptoms presented, as there can be many variations during HSCT. Gentle massage is characterized by soft touches using light pressure, primarily using the palm of the hand, with a slow and steady rhythm across the entire body. It can be performed over clothing or even over the bedsheet and blanket.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Adults aged 18 and above;
* Admitted to HIAE, eligible for Bone Marrow Transplantation;
* Patients who speak and read the Portuguese language.

Exclusion Criteria

* Patients with hearing impairment;
* Patients previously diagnosed with psychiatric disorder: schizophrenia.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Nelson Hamerschlak

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein

Locations

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Maria Ester Azevedo Massola

São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Site Status

Countries

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Brazil

References

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Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol

View Document

Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

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61711022.6.0000.0071

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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