Psychosocial and NF-κB Activity Effects of the Stress Management and Resiliency Training: Relaxation Response
Lucy Finkelstein-Fox1,2, John W Denninger2,3, Leah E Walsh1,4
1Health Promotion and Resiliency Intervention Research (HPRIR) Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Background:
Patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM), precursors to multiple myeloma, need supports for the psychological sequelae of medical uncertainty.
Aims:
This secondary and exploratory analysis of psychosocial outcomes from a randomized controlled trial evaluated a mind-body intervention, the Stress Management and Resiliency Training: Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (SMART-3RP) for perceived stress, global distress and secondary distress (depression, anxiety, NF-κB DNA-binding activity) and well-being (coping ability, mindfulness, optimism, gratitude) indices for individuals with MGUS and SMM.
Methods:
Participants were randomized to immediate treatment (n = 45) or waitlist control (n = 48), providing data at baseline (T1), 3 months (T2), and 6 months (T3).
Results:
Compared to waitlist control, the immediate treatment group experienced greater T1-T2 reductions in global distress (Mdiff = -1.04, p = 0.04), but not perceived stress (Mdiff = -1.67, p = 0.12). Participants receiving immediate treatment also experienced greater reductions in depression (Mdiff = -4.22, p < 0.001) and improvements in coping abilities (Mdiff = 0.36, p < 0.001) and optimism (Mdiff = 1.39, p = 0.02), with no significantly different changes in mindfulness (Mdiff = 4.36, p = 0.14), anxiety (Mdiff = -1.23, p = 0.26), gratitude (Mdiff = 0.59, p = 0.47), or NF-κB activity (Mdiff = -0.16, p = 0.23).
Conclusions:
The SMART-3RP demonstrated efficacy for global distress and other important outcomes for individuals with MGUS and SMM. Stress reduction did not significantly differ from waitlist control.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov Registration #: NCT01955395.
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