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Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP)

This study has been completed.
Sponsor:
Collaborators:
John Templeton Foundation
INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center
Washington Hospital Center
Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation
Mayo Clinic
Information provided by:
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT00179491
First received: September 13, 2005
Last updated: November 2, 2007
Last verified: November 2007
History of Changes
  Purpose

Intercessory prayer is widely believed to influence recovery from illness, but claims of benefits are not supported by well-controlled clinical trials. Prior studies have not addressed whether prayer itself or knowledge/certainty that prayer is being provided may influence outcome. We evaluated whether (1) receiving intercessory prayer or (2) being certain of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with uncomplicated recovery after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.


Condition Intervention Phase
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery
 Behavioral: Intercessory Prayer
 Phase 3

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Allocation: Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title: Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP)

Resource links provided by NLM:

U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Whether receiving intercessory prayer was associated with uncomplicated recovery after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. [ Time Frame: 30 days ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • Whether being certain of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with uncomplicated recovery after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. [ Time Frame: 30 days ]
Enrollment: 1802
Study Start Date: April 1998
Study Completion Date: November 2001
Arms Assigned Interventions
Active Comparator: Group 1
604 patients received intercessory prayer after being informed they may or may not receive prayers (Group 1)
 Behavioral: Intercessory Prayer
14 days of intercessory prayer from 3 sites
No Intervention: 2
597 patients did not receive prayer after being informed they may or may not receive prayer (Group 2)
Experimental: Group 3
601 patients received intercessory prayer after being informed they would receive it (Group 3).
 Behavioral: Intercessory Prayer
14 days of intercessory prayer from 3 sites

Detailed Description:

Intercessory prayer is widely believed to influence recovery from illness, but claims of benefits are not supported by well-controlled clinical trials. Prior studies have not addressed whether prayer itself or knowledge/certainty that prayer is being provided may influence outcome. We evaluated whether (1) receiving intercessory prayer or (2) being certain of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with uncomplicated recovery after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

  Eligibility
Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years and older
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion criteria:

  • Age 18 years or older
  • Able to read or understand English

Exclusion criteria:

  • Scheduled for emergent CABG (next available operating room slot)
  • CABG more than 14 days after enrollment
  • Other planned surgery within 30 days of CABG
  • Minimally invasive CABG (non full sternotomy incisions)
  • CABG with planned valve replacement, stent, angioplasty or carotid endarterectomy
  • Or had ongoing chest pain or unstable angina, as defined by their physicians
  Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00179491

Sponsors and Collaborators
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
John Templeton Foundation
INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center
Washington Hospital Center
Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation
Mayo Clinic
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Herbert Benson, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Mind/Body Medical Institute
  More Information

No publications provided

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00179491     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: 2001-P-002125
Study First Received: September 13, 2005
Last Updated: November 2, 2007
Health Authority: United States: Food and Drug Administration

Keywords provided by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center:
coronary artery bypass grafting surgery

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on February 27, 2015