Exploring the Effect of Mindfulness on Quality of Life (QoL) in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

University of Miami

Overview

The purpose of this study is to determine if practicing mindfulness breathing exercises has an effect on the overall health of persons with SCI

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injuries Quality of Life

Interventions

MindfulnessBEHAVIORAL

Participants will engage in a 10-15 minute mindfulness exercise three times weekly for one month. This mindfulness exercise utilizes guided attention on the breath through an instructional video, aiming to cultivate calmness and alleviate stress.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 70 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Adult males and females aged 18-70 who are living with spinal cord injury * C5 to the T10 levels * Self-reported American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) A-D * Eligible participants must be able to understand and provide consent, be in good health operationalized as free from acute treatable illness, pressure injury, and cardiovascular disease. Exclusion Criteria: * Participants taking medications that alter chronotropic and pressor responses will be excluded. * Pregnant women will not be eligible to participate

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Heart rate

heart rate will be collected in 5 minute intervals before, during and after the mindfulness sessions on 2 separate visits: baseline and post intervention visits. Heart rate will be recorded in beats per minute

Time frame: baseline, 1 month

Change in blood pressure

Blood pressure (BP) will be collected in 5 minute intervals before, during and after the mindfulness sessions on 2 separate visits: baseline and post intervention visits. BP will be collected as systolic over diastolic in mmHg units

Time frame: baseline, 1 month

Change in metabolism as measured by maximum oxygen consumption (VO2)

Metabolism as determined by oxygen consumption (VO2) will be collected in 5 minute intervals before, during and after the mindfulness sessions on 2 separate visits: baseline and post intervention visits. VO2 is collected as mL/kg/min

Time frame: baseline, 1 month

Change in metabolism as measured by ventilation (VE)

Metabolism as determined by oxygen consumption (VE) will be collected in 5 minute intervals before, during and after the mindfulness sessions on 2 separate visits: baseline and post intervention visits. VE is measured in L/min

Time frame: baseline, 1 month

Secondary Outcomes

Change in Quality of Life (QoL) as measured by Quality Index Spinal Cord Injury Version III

A composite score will be obtained to assess change in QoL using a six-point Likert scale. Scores for satisfaction section range from "1- very satisfied" to "6-very dissatisfied". On the important section scoring ranges from "1-very important" to "6- very unimportant"

Time frame: baseline, 1 month

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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