Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
Volume 24, Issue 5, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054445
Keywords
MBIs; mindfulness; biomarkers of inflammation and stress; interleukin; C-reactive protein; cortisol; three-level meta-analysis
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Mindfulness-based interventions have a small positive effect on biomarkers of inflammation and stress in both psychiatric and subclinical populations, according to a meta-analysis. The study analyzed pre-post changes in biomarker levels and treatment effects compared to control groups. While the effects were consistent regardless of sample type, type of intervention, biomarker, control group, or intervention duration, the low quality of studies and publication bias may have influenced the results. More large-scale and preregistered studies are needed in this field of research.
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have a positive effect on biomarkers of inflammation and stress in patients with psychiatric disorders and physical illnesses. Regarding subclinical populations, results are less clear. The present meta-analysis addressed the effects of MBIs on biomarkers in psychiatric populations and among healthy, stressed, and at-risk populations. All available biomarker data were investigated with a comprehensive approach, using two three-level meta-analyses. Pre-post changes in biomarker levels within treatment groups (k = 40 studies, total N = 1441) and treatment effects compared to control group effects, using only RCT data (k = 32, total N = 2880), were of similar magnitude, Hedges g = -0.15 (95% CI = [-0.23, -0.06], p < 0.001) and g = -0.11 (95% CI = [-0.23, 0.001], p = 0.053). Effects increased in magnitude when including available follow-up data but did not differ between type of sample, MBI, biomarker, and control group or duration of the MBI. This suggests that MBIs may ameliorate biomarker levels in both psychiatric and subclinical populations to a small extent. However, low study quality and evidence of publication bias may have impacted on the results. More large and preregistered studies are still needed in this field of research.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available