Transplant Trial Watch

Feasibility and Usefulness of Self-Hypnosis in Patients Undergoing Double-Lung Transplantation During the Pre- and Postoperative Periods: A Randomized Study.

Michel-Cherqui, M., et al.

Journal of Cardiothoracic & Vascular Anesthesia 2022 [record in progress].


Aims
This study aimed to investigate whether the implementation of self-hypnosis in a lung transplantation setting leads to improvements in patients’ pain and quality of life.

Interventions
Participants were randomised to either the self-hypnosis group or the usual care group.

Participants
78 patients who needed a double-lung transplant.

Outcomes
The primary endpoint was pain 1 month posttransplantation. The secondary endpoints included pain, anxiety, coping, catastrophism, quality of life, and compliance with the self-hypnosis technique prior to surgery, in the intensive care unit (ICU) and post-transplantation.

Follow-up
4 months

CET Conclusions
The randomised controlled trial evaluated whether self-hypnosis before and after lung transplantation improves pain and quality of life. Patients awaiting a double-lung transplant aged ≥15 years were randomised online according to a computer-generated randomisation sequence. The sample size calculation showed that 78 patients needed to be included in the study for a power of 80%. Participants received at least two teaching sessions by psychologists and anaesthesiologists who underwent the same hypnosis training. Seventy-eight participants were randomised and 61 participants were included in the analysis at 4 months posttransplant. Most participants (77%) used self-hypnosis regularly or occasionally before the transplant but less often after the transplant. Forty-two percent of patients were very enthusiastic about self-hypnosis, which they considered helpful in many circumstances and 68% said that self-hypnosis was difficult to practice alone. There were no statistically significant differences between groups for any of the pain scores, anxiety or quality of life up to 4 months posttransplant. The authors highlight some factors that may have influenced the results including adherence to self-hypnosis, particularly in the immediate posttransplant period, and other stressors.

Jadad score
3

Data analysis
Strict intention-to-treat analysis

Allocation concealment
Yes

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov - NCT02237976

Funding source
Non-industry funded