Clinical Trials

This study aims to demonstrate acceptability and feasibility of the use of Distance Reiki therapy versus sham Reiki therapy among multiple myeloma patients.It also aims to determine if there is a minimal clinically meaningful improvement in various QOL domains (Physical, Social, Emotional), overall QOL with use of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-29) and Single Item Linear Analogue Scale (LASA) after Distance Reik. Lastly, it aims to analyze the effect of Distance Reiki on expansion of the immune repertoire by comparing immune repertoires at baseline and at the end of the study by using Mass spectrometry by CyTOF® and  multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequencing of the T-cell receptors (TCRs) for assessment of immune repertoire diversity by iRepertoire®.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a health coaching intervention on the stress and burden of caregivers of patients awaiting heart or lung transplant.

Hypotheses:  Caregivers will have traits and behaviors pre-transplant that will predict caregiver readiness, quality of life, and transplant recipient outcomes. Specifically, thoracic pre-transplant caregivers report stress, symptoms of anxiety or depression, and perceive high caregiver burden. These factors may be amenable to pre-transplant intervention to improve overall patient and caregiver outcomes.

Aims, purpose, or objectives:  We will conduct a pilot trial to test whether caregivers of heart and lung transplant candidates who receive wellness coaching will experience improvement in caregiver-related distress. We will also explore the relationship between caregiving and factors such as uncertainty, resilience, stress level, and affect.

We hypothesize that patients with gastroparesis (GP) who use regular sessions of active virtual reality (VR) will experience a greater reduction in global symptoms of gastroparesis, as measured by a reduction in symptom scores using the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI), the Patient Assessment of Gastrointestinal Disorders-Symptom Severity Index (PAGI-SYM), a visual analog scale for nausea (VAS) and a numerical rating scale for abdominal pain (NRS), compared to patients with GP treated with sham VR therapy.    This pragmatic trial is a pilot study to assess the safety, tolerability and efficacy of virtual reality for the treatment of gastroparesis.

There are three main aims for this study. One, to determine whether VR is safe for the treatment of GP. Two, to determine whether using VR therapy is tolerable for the treatment of GP symptoms. Three, to determine whether VR is an effective treatment for symptoms of GP compared to sham VR therapy.  A key objective of the third aim will be to compare changes in global gastroparesis symptom scores, as measured by the GCSI, at the end of the 4-week study period compared to baseline, in patients with GP treated with active VR therapy compared to those treated with sham VR.   Secondary objectives for the third aim will be to assess changes in overall total PAGI-SYM scores, changes in individual scores for nausea (using a VAS), changes in abdominal pain using a NRS, and changes in bloating using the validated Mayo Bloating Questionnaire. Changes in work productivity will be assessed during the 4-week trial using the validated WPAI (work productivity activity index) while short-term changes in quality of life will be assessed using the Short-Form 12 questionnaire.

The purpose of this study is to determine if aromatherapy has a positive effect on increasing perceived well-being and decreases stress and anxiety while working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of this study is to assess:  the prevalence of previous and/or current use of Integrative health interventions in the underserved population in Olmsted County, interest toward future use of Integrative treatment modalities among underserved patients in Olmsted County, and gender-based differences in the use of Integrative health modalities and interest in Integrative therapies among underserved patients in Olmsted County.

The results of this study will allow us to appropriately plan future studies to assess the safety and effectiveness of Integrative therapies among this population.