Evaluation of inflammatory markers in the practice of meditation in students of medicine: controlled clinical trial

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION Stress, depression and anxious symptoms are more pronounced in medical students than in students in other courses. Chronic psychological stressors are associated with inflammation. The markers considered most evident for low-grade chronic inflammation associated with diseases are pro inflammatory cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP). OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of a course of stress reduction and empathy development in medical students (REDEMED) through inflammatory markers. METHODS Controlled clinical trial, whose sample consisted of 55 students of the active group, who performed eight weekly classes of two hours of meditation techniques and exercises to explore interpersonal experiences, and 54 students who composed the control group. Blood was taken from both groups before and after the eight-week course for analysis of inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). RESULTS Due to loss of students to follow-up and problems with processing some blood samples, analysis included results from only 31 from the active group and 29 from the control group. There were no significant differences between the control and active groups in relation to the inflammatory markers PCR and TNF-α. DISCUSSION REDEMED did not present significant alterations of the inflammatory markers evaluated in this group of medical students in the evaluated period. Investigations of different biomarkers and other categories (genetic, neurobiological, etc.) could be carried out for the same purpose.(AU)