Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing improves depressive symptoms, quality of life, and heart rate variability in patients with heart failure
Description
Background:
Depression is a common co-morbidity in patients with heart failure. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has been identified as an effective intervention for severe psychological distress.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an EMDR intervention on depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, and heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with heart failure. Methods For this longitudinal experimental study, 57 consecutive patients were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 25, EMDR intervention) or control (n = 32, routine care) group through blocked randomization. Data were collected at four times (pre-intervention, postintervention, and one-month and three-month follow-up) and analyzed with the generalized estimating equation approach.
Results:
Most participants were male (57.9%), with a mean age of 63.14 ± 14.53 years and mean ejection fraction of 49.86 ± 15.18%. The majority of them were NYHA class II (n = 41, 71.9%) with a clinical history of hypertension (n = 38, 66.7%). Participants receiving the EMDR intervention showed significantly greater improvement in depressive symptoms (p < 0.001), health-related quality of life (p = 0.007), and High Frequency (HF) (p = 0.003), Low Frequency (LF) (p < 0.001), and LF/HF ratio (p = 0.001) in HRV at post-intervention compare with controls. Furthermore, the intervention effects were sustained at one month and three months after completion of the intervention.
Conclusion:
The EMDR intervention may improve depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, and HRV in patients with heart failure. The improvements can be maintained three months later.
Depression is a common co-morbidity in patients with heart failure. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has been identified as an effective intervention for severe psychological distress.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an EMDR intervention on depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, and heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with heart failure. Methods For this longitudinal experimental study, 57 consecutive patients were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 25, EMDR intervention) or control (n = 32, routine care) group through blocked randomization. Data were collected at four times (pre-intervention, postintervention, and one-month and three-month follow-up) and analyzed with the generalized estimating equation approach.
Results:
Most participants were male (57.9%), with a mean age of 63.14 ± 14.53 years and mean ejection fraction of 49.86 ± 15.18%. The majority of them were NYHA class II (n = 41, 71.9%) with a clinical history of hypertension (n = 38, 66.7%). Participants receiving the EMDR intervention showed significantly greater improvement in depressive symptoms (p < 0.001), health-related quality of life (p = 0.007), and High Frequency (HF) (p = 0.003), Low Frequency (LF) (p < 0.001), and LF/HF ratio (p = 0.001) in HRV at post-intervention compare with controls. Furthermore, the intervention effects were sustained at one month and three months after completion of the intervention.
Conclusion:
The EMDR intervention may improve depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, and HRV in patients with heart failure. The improvements can be maintained three months later.
Format
Journal
Language
English
Original Work Citation
Kao, C.-W., Cheng, S.-M., Wan, F.-J., Lin, W.-S., & Chang, Y.-C. (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing improves depressive symptoms, quality of life, and heart rate variability in patients with heart failure. Journal of Neuropsychiatry, 18(3), 1061-1072. doi:10.4172/Neuropsychiatry.1000435
Citation
“Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing improves depressive symptoms, quality of life, and heart rate variability in patients with heart failure,” Francine Shapiro Library, accessed May 13, 2024, https://francineshapirolibrary.omeka.net/items/show/25441.