Use of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback for symptom management among cancer survivors.

Authors

null

Mark Allen O'Rourke

Center for Integrative Oncology and Survivorship, Greenville, SC

Mark Allen O'Rourke , Regina A. Franco , Jameson Sofge , Jay Ginsberg , Kerri Susko , Elizabeth Crowley , Annie Anderson , Alex Christ , John Hanna , William Hendry , James Burch

Organizations

Center for Integrative Oncology and Survivorship, Greenville, SC, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia, SC, Greenville Health System Cancer Institute, Greenville, SC, Greenville Health System, Greenville, SC

Research Funding

Other

Background: Late effects of cancer and its treatment include pain, fatigue, stress, and depression all mediated by autonomic dysfunction. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) coherence is an established measure of autonomic dysfunction. Cancer survivors have lower HRV coherence than normal controls. HRV biofeedback (HRV-B) training improves HRV coherence, restores autonomic health, and reduces the above symptoms. This report describes a feasibility study of HRV-B in symptomatic cancer survivors. Methods: In a randomized, waitlist controlled, clinical trial, 179 were screened, 34 enrolled and 31 completed the protocol. Participants in the intervention arm received weekly HRV-B training up to six weeks. Outcome measures assessed at baseline (pre) and after week six (post) included HRV coherence plus Insomnia Symptom Questionnaire (ISQ), Suscro Distress Inventory (SDI), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Multi-Dimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). Results: See table below. Conclusions: Delivering HRV Biofeedback training to cancer survivors is feasible at our Cancer Institute. This pilot study provides preliminary evidence that HRV-B for cancer survivors improves HRV coherence and reduces insomnia, pain, fatigue, depression, and stress. The intervention has great potential and further research is indicated.

Intent to treatHRV-B
(N=17)
Waitlist
Control (n=17)
P value,
One tail
Intervention Trend
Pre PostPre Post
HRV Coherence.387 .853.396 .335.022Improved
PSS17.3 12.519.0 17.2.020Improved
BDI-II12.8 5.7016.3 13.9.006Improved
MFI general12.4 10.514.8 14.0.005Improved
MFI physical11.6 10.513.4 12.4.097Improved trend
MFI reduced activity9.38 6.5410.9 9.25.019Improved
MFI mental11.3 10.013.7 13.4.003Improved
BPI severity2.71 2.182.66 2.61.302
BPI interference2.37 1.663.40 3.15.041Improved
SDI (distress)16.1 10.120.4 18.1.007Improved
ISQ sleep symptoms14.6 8.416.5 18.1<.001Improved
ISQ daytime impair11.2 5.412.6 12.6.005Improved

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2017 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Patient and Survivor Care

Track

Patient and Survivor Care

Sub Track

Palliative Care and Symptom Management

Clinical Trial Registration Number

pending

Citation

J Clin Oncol 35, 2017 (suppl; abstr 10099)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2017.35.15_suppl.10099

Abstract #

10099

Poster Bd #

88

Abstract Disclosures

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