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Mekes-Adamczyk A, Gausmann N, Öznur Ö, Pfuhlmann K, Dziobaka J, Buer J, Langhorst J, Westendorf AM. Lifestyle Intervention Modulates the CD4+ T Cell Profile in the Blood of Crohn's Disease Patients. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2024:izae154. [PMID: 39102712 DOI: 10.1093/ibd/izae154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Crohn's disease (CD) significantly affects patients' well-being and is influenced by stress and lifestyle factors, highlighting the importance of improving quality of life in CD management. An imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory CD4+ T cell responses is a key factor in CD, and stress has been shown to alter the function of CD4+ T cells. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of a mind-body medicine stress management and lifestyle modification (MBM) program on the CD4+ T cell profile in CD patients. METHODS Circulating CD4+ T cells from CD patients were analyzed by flow cytometry following the MBM program. Patients were randomly assigned to either a guided intervention group (IG) or a self-guided waitlist control group (CG) over a 9-month trial and compared with healthy blood donors. RESULTS Lifestyle intervention reduced regulatory T cell (Treg) frequencies in the blood of CD patients. Notably, we observed a significant correlation between the quality of life improvement and Treg frequencies in the IG but not in the CG. Furthermore, differential activation and expression of the gut-homing molecules G protein-coupled receptor 15 and CCR9 on circulating Tregs and CD4+ effector T cells were detected in both the IG and CG. CONCLUSIONS The MBM program, whether guided or self-directed, has the potential to restore the CD4+ T cell profile of CD patients to levels comparable to healthy blood donors. Lifestyle interventions may benefit CD progression, symptoms, and immunological status, but further analysis is needed to substantiate these findings and to fully understand their clinical implications. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05182645).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Mekes-Adamczyk
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Nadine Gausmann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Özlem Öznur
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Katrin Pfuhlmann
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Jan Dziobaka
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jan Buer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jost Langhorst
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Astrid M Westendorf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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Bauer N, Löffler C, Oeznur O, Uecker C, Schlee C, Adamczyk A, Elsenbruch S, Pfuhlmann K, Reissmann R, Westendorf A, Keil T, Langhorst J. Evaluation of a Multimodal Stress Management and Comprehensive Lifestyle Modification Program on Quality of Life and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients with Crohn's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial with 9-Month Follow-Up. Digestion 2024; 105:201-212. [PMID: 38350430 DOI: 10.1159/000536659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Stress and lifestyle factors impact the course of Crohn's disease (CD). Our primary objective was to assess whether patients with CD benefit from a mind-body-medicine stress management and lifestyle modification (MBM) program. METHODS This 9-month two-arm pilot trial was conducted in Bamberg, Germany (2020-2021). Patients (18-75 years) with mild to moderate activity of CD and stable medication were enrolled and randomly assigned to either a 10-week MBM program (intervention group, IG) or a single 90-min education session (waiting list control group, CG). Primary endpoints were quality of life (IBDQ) and disease activity (HBI). Secondary endpoints were emotional distress, core self-evaluation, and inflammatory biomarkers 3 and 9 months after baseline assessment. RESULTS We analyzed data from 37 patients (IG: n = 19, mean ± SD age 49.6 ± 13.1 years, 68% female; CG: 18, 46.8 ± 11.4, 67% female). Immediately after the intervention, 79% (IG) and 44% (CG) experienced a clinically relevant improvement (IBDQ score ≥16 points). This was similar after 9 months (63% vs. 44%). There was no difference in disease activity (3 months: p = 0.082, 95% CI -1.3 to 2.6; 9 months: p = 0.251, 95% CI -1.2 to 2.5). Secondary outcomes indicated improvements in emotional distress, core self-evaluation, erythrocyte sedimentation rate after three and in emotional distress, T-cell profiling in the blood, and fecal lactoferrin and calprotectin group after 9 months in the IG. CONCLUSION Our study suggested benefits of a multimodal stress management and lifestyle modification program for patients with CD. Larger trials are needed to determine if the program can supplement or at least partially replace pharmacological treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Bauer
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Löffler
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany,
| | - Oezlem Oeznur
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Christine Uecker
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Schlee
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bamberg, Germany
- Department of Sociology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Alexandra Adamczyk
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Sigrid Elsenbruch
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Katrin Pfuhlmann
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Ralf Reissmann
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Astrid Westendorf
- Department of Infectionimmunology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Thomas Keil
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- State Institute of Health I, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jost Langhorst
- Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bamberg, Germany
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Basedow LA, Zerth SF, Salzmann S, Uecker C, Bauer N, Elsenbruch S, Rief W, Langhorst J. Pre-treatment expectations and their influence on subjective symptom change in Crohn's disease. J Psychosom Res 2024; 176:111567. [PMID: 38100897 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2023.111567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment expectations reportedly shape treatment outcomes, but have not been studied in the context of multimodal therapy in Crohn's disease (CD). Therefore, the current study investigated the role of treatment expectations for subjective symptom changes in CD patients who have undergone an integrative multimodal therapy program. METHODS Validated questionnaires were completed at the start of the treatment program and post intervention. Pre-treatment expectations and experienced symptom change were assessed with the Generic Rating Scale for Previous Treatment Experiences, Treatment Expectations, and Treatment Effects (GEEE); stress levels were quantified with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and disease specific quality of life was quantified with the disease-specific Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ). We performed multiple linear and Bayesian regression to determine how expectations related to symptom change. RESULTS N = 71 CD patients (66.2% female) were included. Stronger expectations regarding symptom improvement (b = 0.422, t = 3.70, p < .001) were associated with higher experienced symptom improvement. Additionally, Bayesian analysis provided strong evidence for including improvement expectations as a predictor of improvement experience (BFinclusion = 13.78). CONCLUSIONS In line with research in other disorders, we found that positive treatment expectations were associated with experienced symptom improvement. In contrast, we found no indication that an experience of symptom worsening was associated with positive or negative baseline treatment expectations. Induction of positive expectations might be a potential avenue for improving treatment outcomes in CD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Andreas Basedow
- Philipps-Universität Marburg, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 35037 Marburg, Germany.
| | - Simon Felix Zerth
- Philipps-Universität Marburg, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 35037 Marburg, Germany.
| | - Stefan Salzmann
- Philipps-Universität Marburg, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 35037 Marburg, Germany; Health and Medical University, Medical Psychology, 99084 Erfurt, Germany.
| | - Christine Uecker
- Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, 96049 Bamberg, Germany; University of Duisburg Essen, Medicinal Faculty, Department of Integrative Medicine, 96049 Bamberg, Germany.
| | - Nina Bauer
- Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, 96049 Bamberg, Germany; University of Duisburg Essen, Medicinal Faculty, Department of Integrative Medicine, 96049 Bamberg, Germany
| | - Sigrid Elsenbruch
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44789 Bochum, Germany; Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany.
| | - Winfried Rief
- Philipps-Universität Marburg, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 35037 Marburg, Germany.
| | - Jost Langhorst
- Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, 96049 Bamberg, Germany; University of Duisburg Essen, Medicinal Faculty, Department of Integrative Medicine, 96049 Bamberg, Germany.
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