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CompletedNCT00032721Updated Aug 18, 2006

The Use of Reiki for Patients With Advanced AIDS

A Phase 2 interventional study of Reiki; Subtle energy therapy in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and HIV Infections, sponsored by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Completed at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 21 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2006-08-18.

Sponsored by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
146
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
21 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study will investigate the use of Reiki, an energy-based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) intervention, as an approach to improve well-being for patients with advanced AIDS, and evaluate its effects on dimensions of well-being and quality of life.

Read the detailed description

This study will investigate the use of Reiki, an energy-based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) intervention, as an approach to improve well being for patients with advanced AIDS, and evaluate its effects on dimensions of well being and quality of life. The study is a two-group comparison between participants receiving Reiki plus usual medical care (treatment) and participants receiving usual medical care only (control).

One hundred and forty-six patients with advanced AIDS will be enrolled and randomized into the two groups. Patients in the intervention (Reiki) group will receive a total of three one-hour Reiki sessions over a period of 6 weeks. Participants in both the intervention and control groups will be assessed at two times during the study period using repeated measures. We will investigate and compare changes in participants' anxiety, depression, pain, quality of life, and spiritual well being at the end of the intervention period. This is the first part of a longer-term research agenda to examine the use and effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicines for patients with advanced disease. We plan to examine one clinical context in which Reiki is currently provided. It is important to design studies that respect both the context of care and the practitioner-client relationship-elements essential to an understanding of the philosophy and delivery of CAM such as Reiki, and at the same time endeavor to outline a systematic approach to the study of CAM.

02

Conditions studied

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
  • HIV Infections

Keywords

  • complementary therapies
  • Alternative medicine
  • Complementary and alternative medicine
  • Subtle energy therapy
  • Reiki
  • HIV/AIDS
03

In context

HIV Infections

4,258 studies on the registry are indexed under HIV Infections; 240 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 146 is above the median of 83 across 3,251 interventional studies indexed under HIV Infections.

Browse HIV Infections studies →

Lead sponsor

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is the lead sponsor of 218 studies on the registry; 7 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
21 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of advanced AIDS, defined as: CD4 count of less than 200 during the past 12 months;
  • On HAART for at least 6 months;
  • Over age 18;
  • Decisionally capable of providing informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Not capable of providing informed consent because of psychiatric limitations, e.g. active psychosis.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Factorial assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
146 participants

Interventions

  • ProcedureReiki; Subtle energy therapy
06

Study locations

2 sites
  • Temple University
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19121, United States
  • Albert Einstein Medical Center
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19141, United States
07

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 18, 2006, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00032721
Lead sponsor
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
First posted
Apr 1, 2002
Start date
Mar 2002
Completion
Sep 2003
Last update
Aug 18, 2006

Study contacts

Gala True, PhD
principal investigator · Albert Einstein Healthcare Network
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2006. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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