Workplace based mindfulness practice and inflammation: a randomized trial. 


Author: Malarkey WB, Jarjoura D, Klatt M.

Affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, The Ohio State University, United States. william.malarkey@osumc.edu 
Conference/Journal: Brain Behav Immun.
Date published: 2013 jan
Other:
 Volume ID: 27   ,  Issue ID: 1   ,  Pages: 145-54   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2012.10.009   ,  Word Count: 268  
    

We have developed a low dose Mindfulness-Based Intervention (MBI-ld) that reduces the time committed to meetings and formal mindfulness practice, while conducting the sessions during the workday. This reduced the barriers commonly mentioned for non-participation in mindfulness programs. In a controlled randomized trial we studied university faculty and staff (n=186) who were found to have an elevated CRP level,>3.0 mg/ml, and who either had, or were at risk for cardiovascular disease. This study was designed to evaluate if MBI-ld could produce a greater decrease in CRP, IL-6 and cortisol than an active control group receiving a lifestyle education program when measured at the end of the 2 month interventions. We found that MBI-ld significantly enhanced mindfulness by 2-months and it was maintained for up to a year when compared to the education control. No significant changes were noted between interventions in cortisol, IL-6 levels or self-reported measures of perceived stress, depression and sleep quality at 2-months. Although not statistically significant (p=.08), the CRP level at 2-months was one mg/ml lower in the MBI-ld group than in the education control group, a change which may have clinical significance (Ridker et al., 2000; Wassel et al., 2010). A larger MBI-ld effect on CRP (as compared to control) occurred among participants who had a baseline BMI <30 (-2.67 mg/ml) than for those with BMI >30 (-0.18 mg/ml). We conclude that MBI-ld should be more fully investigated as a low-cost self-directed complementary strategy for decreasing inflammation, and it seems most promising for non-obese subjects.

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PMID: 23078984 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] PMCID: PMC3528077 [Available on 2014/1/1]