Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40082838›Full record

Trial reportBMC complementary medicine and therapies2025

The effectiveness of Melissa officinalis L. essential oil inhalation on anxiety and symptom burden of hemodialysis patients: a randomized trial study.

Nilofar Pasyar, Mansoureh Aghababaei, Masoume Rambod, Mohammad M Zarshenas

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Nilofar PasyarCommunity Based Psychiatric Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Mansoureh AghababaeiStudent Research Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Masoume RambodCommunity Based Psychiatric Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. rambodma@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7334-9364
Mohammad M ZarshenasMedicinal Plants Processing Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Funding

Shiraz University of Medical Sciences 20701
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHemodialysis patients suffer from physical and mental symptoms for which aromatherapy might be useful. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Melissa officinalis L. (Lemon Balm) essential oil inhalation on anxiety and the burden of symptoms in hemodialysis patients.

methodsThis study is a randomized clinical trial with a pretest-posttest design. Sixty-eight hemodialysis patients were randomly divided into intervention (who underwent Melissa officinalis L. inhalation aromatherapy 3 times a week for one month) and control (who inhaled refined sweet almond oil) groups. The intervention in both groups was conducted during the hemodialysis session. The data were collected using the state-trait anxiety inventory and Dialysis Symptom Index. Data were analyzed through SPSS-25, using Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, t-tests and MANOVA.

resultsBefore the intervention, both groups were similar in terms of anxiety and symptoms burden (P > 0.05). However, after the intervention, a significant difference was found between the groups in terms of state and trait anxiety, and severity of constipation, nausea, vomit, diarrhea, swelling in legs, muscle cramps and shortness, worry, nervousness and anxiety, and trouble staying asleep. Moreover, after the intervention, a significant difference was observed between the groups regarding the prevalence of symptoms burden such as feeling anxious and having a dry mouth (P < 0.05).

conclusionMelissa officinalis L. essential oil inhalation aromatherapy reduced the symptoms burden and anxiety in hemodialysis patients. Given the effectiveness of aromatherapy in hemodialysis patients, it is suggested that healthcare workers should use this complementary and integrative health to reduce the anxiety and symptoms burden in hemodialysis patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION RCT REGISTRY: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) number: IRCT20191021045178N3; Registration date 27/04/2021.

Indexed as

AnxietyAromatherapyMelissaOils, VolatileRenal DialysisAdministration, InhalationAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSymptom BurdenOils, VolatileAnxietyAromatherapyHemodialysisMelissa officinalis L.Symptom burden

Identifiers

PMID40082838
PMCPMC11907815

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.