Effects of meditation on pain intensity, physical function, quality of life and depression in adults with low back pain - A systematic review with meta-analysis.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to examine the effects of meditation on pain intensity, functional disability, quality of life, and depression in patients with low back pain.
Results Summary
Meditation showed a significant positive effect on short-term pain intensity and physical quality of life post-treatment, but no significant effects were observed at follow-up (mean 20 weeks). The quality of evidence was moderate due to study limitations and imprecision.
Population
Adults (aged ≥18 years) with low back pain.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Post-treatment effects were assessed; follow-up ranged from 4-52 weeks (mean 20 weeks).
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
meditation | decrease | pain intensity | LBP patients | SMD = -0.27 [CI -0.43; -0.11]; p = 0.001 | showed a significant positive effect | #1 |
meditation | increase | physical quality of life | LBP patients | SMD = 0.21 [CI 0.07; 0.36]; p = 0.005 | showed a significant positive effect | #2 |
meditation | no change | - | LBP patients | - | no significant effects | #3 |
BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is a common biopsychosocial health problem. Meditation may provide a complementary treatment option for LBP patients. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to examine the effects of meditation on pain intensity, functional disability, quality of life, and depression in LBP populations. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA Guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science, CENTRAL, CamQuest and PubPsych were searched up to a publication date of June 2020. Inclusion criteria were RCTs or non-RCTs with LBP patients, aged at least 18 years, the application of a specific meditation technique, and pain intensity and/or functional disability as outcomes. Pooled SMDs were calculated at post-treatment and follow up. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to estimate risk of bias. The overall quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: 12 studies with a total of 1005 participants were included in this review. Compared to controls, meditation solely showed a significant positive effect on pain intensity (SMD = -0.27 [CI -0.43; -0.11]; p = 0.001; based on 10 studies with 934 participants) and physical quality of life (SMD = 0.21 [CI 0.07; 0.36]; p = 0.005; based on 5 studies with 756 participants) at post-treatment. At follow up (mean 20 weeks, range 4-52) there were no significant effects anymore. The quality of the evidence was moderate due to study limitations and imprecision. CONCLUSIONS: Meditation seems to be promising with regard to reducing short-term pain intensity in patients with LBP. However, additional well-designed and large trials are required in order to draw more reliable conclusions.