Treister Roi, Cohen Vered, Issa Limor, Beiruti Wiegler Karine, Izakson Alexander, Agostinho Mariana
The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Maternity Unit, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Psychother Psychosom. 2025;94(1):60-67. doi: 10.1159/000541810. Epub 2024 Nov 4.
Communication between medical staff and patients about treatment efficacy elicits expectations of benefit and improves treatment outcomes. While demonstrated in multiple studies via different research methodologies, uniform communication protocols have not been adopted in clinical practice. Here, we summarize the results of two sister studies aimed at bridging this gap.
Women undergoing C-section (study 1, randomized controlled trial) and patients undergoing general or otolaryngologic surgeries (study 2, control group design) were recruited and assigned to the "regular communication" (RC) or "enhanced communication" (EC) arms. The EC arm received positive information about treatment, while the RC arm received no such information. In both studies, the primary outcome was change in pain intensity; in study 2, an additional outcome was morphine consumption.
Eighty women successfully completed study 1, and 102 patients successfully completed study 2. In both studies, significant time*group interactions were observed (p < 0.001). The analgesic effect was virtually twice as large in the EC arm compared to the RC arm. In study 2, in the last two timepoints of assessment, participants in the EC arm also consumed fewer doses of opioids than participants in the RC arm (p < 0.001). No significant differences were found in vital signs.
We provide ecological evidence that positive information about treatment significantly decreases pain and opioid consumption during routine clinical care. This study and others could encourage healthcare providers to harness the powerful effects of patients' expectations of benefit to improve analgesics outcomes and, potentially, the outcomes of other symptoms.
Communication between medical staff and patients about treatment efficacy elicits expectations of benefit and improves treatment outcomes. While demonstrated in multiple studies via different research methodologies, uniform communication protocols have not been adopted in clinical practice. Here, we summarize the results of two sister studies aimed at bridging this gap.
Women undergoing C-section (study 1, randomized controlled trial) and patients undergoing general or otolaryngologic surgeries (study 2, control group design) were recruited and assigned to the "regular communication" (RC) or "enhanced communication" (EC) arms. The EC arm received positive information about treatment, while the RC arm received no such information. In both studies, the primary outcome was change in pain intensity; in study 2, an additional outcome was morphine consumption.
Eighty women successfully completed study 1, and 102 patients successfully completed study 2. In both studies, significant time*group interactions were observed (p < 0.001). The analgesic effect was virtually twice as large in the EC arm compared to the RC arm. In study 2, in the last two timepoints of assessment, participants in the EC arm also consumed fewer doses of opioids than participants in the RC arm (p < 0.001). No significant differences were found in vital signs.
We provide ecological evidence that positive information about treatment significantly decreases pain and opioid consumption during routine clinical care. This study and others could encourage healthcare providers to harness the powerful effects of patients' expectations of benefit to improve analgesics outcomes and, potentially, the outcomes of other symptoms.
医护人员与患者之间就治疗效果进行沟通能够引发患者对益处的期望，并改善治疗结果。尽管多项研究通过不同的研究方法证明了这一点，但临床实践中尚未采用统一的沟通方案。在此，我们总结了两项姊妹研究的结果，旨在弥合这一差距。
招募接受剖宫产的女性（研究1，随机对照试验）以及接受普通外科或耳鼻喉科手术的患者（研究2，对照组设计），并将其分配至“常规沟通”（RC）组或“强化沟通”（EC）组。EC组收到有关治疗的积极信息，而RC组未收到此类信息。在两项研究中，主要结局是疼痛强度的变化；在研究2中，另一结局是吗啡消耗量。
80名女性成功完成研究1，102名患者成功完成研究2。在两项研究中，均观察到显著的时间*组交互作用（p<0.001）。EC组的镇痛效果几乎是RC组的两倍。在研究2中，在最后两个评估时间点，EC组的参与者消耗的阿片类药物剂量也比RC组的参与者少（p<0.001）。生命体征方面未发现显著差异。
我们提供了生态学证据，表明有关治疗的积极信息在常规临床护理期间可显著减轻疼痛和减少阿片类药物的消耗。本研究及其他研究可能会鼓励医疗保健提供者利用患者对益处的期望所产生的强大作用，以改善镇痛效果，并可能改善其他症状的治疗效果。
医护人员与患者之间就治疗效果进行沟通能够引发患者对益处的期望，并改善治疗结果。尽管多项研究通过不同的研究方法证明了这一点，但临床实践中尚未采用统一的沟通方案。在此，我们总结了两项姊妹研究的结果，旨在弥合这一差距。
招募接受剖宫产的女性（研究1，随机对照试验）以及接受普通外科或耳鼻喉科手术的患者（研究2，对照组设计），并将其分配至“常规沟通”（RC）组或“强化沟通”（EC）组。EC组收到有关治疗的积极信息，而RC组未收到此类信息。在两项研究中，主要结局是疼痛强度的变化；在研究2中，另一结局是吗啡消耗量。
80名女性成功完成研究1，102名患者成功完成研究2。在两项研究中，均观察到显著的时间*组交互作用（p<0.001）。EC组的镇痛效果几乎是RC组的两倍。在研究2中，在最后两个评估时间点，EC组的参与者消耗的阿片类药物剂量也比RC组的参与者少（p<0.001）。生命体征方面未发现显著差异。
我们提供了生态学证据，表明有关治疗的积极信息在常规临床护理期间可显著减轻疼痛和减少阿片类药物的消耗。本研究及其他研究可能会鼓励医疗保健提供者利用患者对益处的期望所产生的强大作用，以改善镇痛效果，并可能改善其他症状的治疗效果。
