Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36167876›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2022

Possible alleviation of symptoms and side effects through clinicians' nocebo information and empathy in an experimental video vignette study.

M C Meijers, J Stouthard, A W M Evers, E Das, H J Drooger, S J A J Jansen, A L Francke, N Plum, E van der Wall, Y Nestoriuc and 2 more

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In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Socially Acquired Nocebo Effects Generalize but Are Not Attenuated by Choice.Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine · 2023
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

M C MeijersHealth, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Health-, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands. m.c.meijers@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
J StouthardDepartment of Medical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
A W M EversHealth, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Health-, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
E DasCentre for Language Studies, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
H J DroogerHealth, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Health-, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
S J A J JansenHealth, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Health-, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
A L FranckeNIVEL, Netherlands Institute of Health Services Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
N PlumDepartment of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
E van der WallDepartment of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Y NestoriucDepartment of Clinical Psychology, Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Federal Armed Forces, Hamburg, Germany.
E DusseldorpMethodology and Statistics Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
L M van VlietHealth, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Health-, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands. l.m.van.vliet@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

To alleviate anti-cancer treatment burden in advanced breast cancer, patient-clinician communication strategies based on nocebo-effect mechanisms are promising. We assessed distinct/combined effects on psychological outcomes (e.g. anxiety; main outcome) and side-effect expectations of (1) nocebo information about the (non)pharmacological origin of side effects, and (2) clinician-expressed empathy through reassurance of continuing support. Furthermore, we explored whether information and empathy effects on side-effect expectations were mediated by decreased anxiety. In a two-by-two experimental video-vignette design, 160 cancer patients/survivors and healthy women watched one of four videos differing in level of nocebo information (±) and empathy (±). Regression and mediation analysis were used to determine effects of information/empathy and explore anxiety's mediating role. Anxiety was not influenced by empathy or information (Stai-state: p = 0.295; p = 0.390, VAS p = 0.399; p = 0.823). Information improved (specific) side-effect coping expectations (p < 0.01). Empathy improved side-effect intensity expectations (p < 0.01 = specific; p < 0.05 = non-specific/partial) and specific side-effect probability expectations (p < 0.01), and increased satisfaction, trust, and self-efficacy (p < 0.001). No mediating effects were found of anxiety on expectations. Mainly empathy, but also nocebo information improved psychological outcomes and-mainly specific-side-effect expectations. Exploring the power of these communication elements in clinical practice is essential to diminish the anti-cancer treatment burden in advanced breast cancer.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsDrug-Related Side Effects and Adverse ReactionsCommunicationEmpathyFemaleHumansNocebo Effect

Identifiers

PMID36167876
PMCPMC9515213

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.