TY - JOUR
T1 - The Impact of a 20-Minute Animal-Assisted Activity Session on the Physiological and Emotional States in Patients With Fibromyalgia
AU - Clark, Stephanie
AU - Martin, François
AU - McGowan, Ragen T.S.
AU - Smidt, Jessica
AU - Anderson, Rachel
AU - Wang, Lei
AU - Turpin, Tricia
AU - Langenfeld-McCoy, Natalie
AU - Bauer, Brent
AU - Mohabbat, Arya B.
N1 - Funding Information:
Grant Support: This research was funded by Nestlé Purina Petcare Global Resources, Inc, St. Louis, MO.
Funding Information:
The authors thank the staff at Mayo Clinic's Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Clinic for their assistance in the study and the Caring Canine volunteers for donating their time for the visits. Grant Support: This research was funded by Nestlé Purina Petcare Global Resources, Inc, St. Louis, MO.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
PY - 2020/11
Y1 - 2020/11
N2 - Objective: To study the direct physiological and emotional impact of an animal-assisted activity (AAA) session (a form of complementary and integrative medicine) in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). Patients and Methods: The study population consisted of 221 participants with FM who were attending Mayo Clinic's Fibromyalgia Treatment Program between August 5, 2017, and September 1, 2018. This was a randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to either the treatment group (a 20-minute session with a certified therapy dog and handler) or the control group (a 20-minute session with a handler only). To gain a better understanding of the direct physiological and emotional effects of AAA in patients with FM, we used multiple noninvasive physiologic-emotional biomarkers, including salivary cortisol and oxytocin concentrations, tympanic membrane temperatures, and various cardiac parameters, in addition to standardized pain and mood-based questionnaires. Results: Results show a decrease in heart rate, an increase in heart rate variability, an increase in well-being survey scores, an increase in salivary oxytocin, and subsequent tympanic membrane temperature changes, suggesting that participants in the treatment group were in a more positive emotional-physiologic state as a result of the AAA session compared with the control group. Conclusion: Our results suggest that a 20-minute therapy dog visit in an outpatient setting can significantly and positively impact the physical and mental health of patients with FM.
AB - Objective: To study the direct physiological and emotional impact of an animal-assisted activity (AAA) session (a form of complementary and integrative medicine) in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). Patients and Methods: The study population consisted of 221 participants with FM who were attending Mayo Clinic's Fibromyalgia Treatment Program between August 5, 2017, and September 1, 2018. This was a randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to either the treatment group (a 20-minute session with a certified therapy dog and handler) or the control group (a 20-minute session with a handler only). To gain a better understanding of the direct physiological and emotional effects of AAA in patients with FM, we used multiple noninvasive physiologic-emotional biomarkers, including salivary cortisol and oxytocin concentrations, tympanic membrane temperatures, and various cardiac parameters, in addition to standardized pain and mood-based questionnaires. Results: Results show a decrease in heart rate, an increase in heart rate variability, an increase in well-being survey scores, an increase in salivary oxytocin, and subsequent tympanic membrane temperature changes, suggesting that participants in the treatment group were in a more positive emotional-physiologic state as a result of the AAA session compared with the control group. Conclusion: Our results suggest that a 20-minute therapy dog visit in an outpatient setting can significantly and positively impact the physical and mental health of patients with FM.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.04.037
DO - 10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.04.037
M3 - Article
C2 - 32819740
AN - SCOPUS:85084505049
VL - 95
SP - 2442
EP - 2461
JO - Mayo Clinic Proceedings
JF - Mayo Clinic Proceedings
SN - 0025-6196
IS - 11
ER -