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 - 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
SN - 0025-6196
VL - 95
SP - 2442
EP - 2461
JO - Mayo Clinic proceedings
JF - Mayo Clinic proceedings
IS - 11
ER -