Title: Effects of reiki in clinical practice: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials
Abstract: International Journal of Clinical PracticeVolume 62, Issue 6 p. 947-954 Effects of reiki in clinical practice: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials M. S. Lee, M. S. Lee Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, Exeter, UKSearch for more papers by this authorM. H. Pittler, M. H. Pittler Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, Exeter, UKSearch for more papers by this authorE. Ernst, E. Ernst Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, Exeter, UKSearch for more papers by this author M. S. Lee, M. S. Lee Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, Exeter, UKSearch for more papers by this authorM. H. Pittler, M. H. Pittler Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, Exeter, UKSearch for more papers by this authorE. Ernst, E. Ernst Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, Exeter, UKSearch for more papers by this author First published: 10 April 2008 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-1241.2008.01729.xCitations: 74 Myeong Soo Lee, PhD,Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, 25 Victoria Park Road, Exeter EX2 4NT, UKTel.: + 44 1392 439035Fax: + 44 1392 427562Emails: [email protected] or [email protected] Disclosure None. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Summary Introduction: The aim of this systematic review is to summarise and critically evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of reiki. Methods: We searched the literature using 23 databases from their respective inceptions through to November 2007 (search again 23 January 2008) without language restrictions. Methodological quality was assessed using the Jadad score. Results: The searches identified 205 potentially relevant studies. Nine randomised clinical trials (RCTs) met our inclusion criteria. Two RCTs suggested beneficial effects of reiki compared with sham control on depression, while one RCT did not report intergroup differences. For pain and anxiety, one RCT showed intergroup differences compared with sham control. For stress and hopelessness a further RCT reported effects of reiki and distant reiki compared with distant sham control. For functional recovery after ischaemic stroke there were no intergroup differences compared with sham. There was also no difference for anxiety between groups of pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis. For diabetic neuropathy there were no effects of reiki on pain. A further RCT failed to show the effects of reiki for anxiety and depression in women undergoing breast biopsy compared with conventional care. Discussion: In total, the trial data for any one condition are scarce and independent replications are not available for each condition. Most trials suffered from methodological flaws such as small sample size, inadequate study design and poor reporting. Conclusion: In conclusion, the evidence is insufficient to suggest that reiki is an effective treatment for any condition. Therefore the value of reiki remains unproven. References 1 National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. An Introduction to Reiki. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/reiki/ (accessed December 2007). 2 Miles P, True G. Reiki – review of a biofield therapy history, theory, practice, and research. 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