Impact of a massage therapy clinical trial on immune status in young Dominican children infected with HIV-1 Article

Shor-Posner, G, Hernandez-Reif, M, Miguez, MJ et al. (2006). Impact of a massage therapy clinical trial on immune status in young Dominican children infected with HIV-1 . JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE, 12(6), 511-516. 10.1089/acm.2006.12.511

cited authors

  • Shor-Posner, G; Hernandez-Reif, M; Miguez, MJ; Fletcher, M; Quintero, N; Baez, J; Perez-Then, E; Soto, S; Mendoza, R; Castillo, R; Zhang, G

authors

abstract

  • Purpose: The effectiveness of massage therapy on immune parameters was evaluated in young Dominican HIV+ children without current access to antiretroviral therapies. Methods: Eligible children, who were followed at the Robert Reid Cabral Hospital (San Domingo, Dominican Republic), were randomized to receive either massage treatment or a control/friendly visit twice weekly for 12 weeks. Blood was drawn at baseline and following the 3-month intervention for determinations of CD4, CD8, and CD56 cell counts and percentage, along with activation markers (CD25 and CD69). Results: Despite similar immune parameters at baseline in the two groups, significantly more of the control group exhibited a decline in CD4 cell count (>30%, p = 0.03), postintervention. The decrease was particularly evident in older (5-8 years) children in the control arm, who demonstrated a significant reduction in both CD4 and CD8 cell counts compared to massage-treated older children who remained stable or showed immune improvement. Additionally, a significant increase in CD4+CD25+ cells was observed over the 12-week trial in the massage-treated older children (p = 0.04) but not in the control group. In younger massage-treated children, (2-4 years old), a significant increase in natural killer cells was shown. Conclusion: Together these findings support the role for massage therapy in immune preservation in HIV+ children. © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

publication date

  • July 1, 2006

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 511

end page

  • 516

volume

  • 12

issue

  • 6