Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40148929›Full record

SynthesisSystematic reviews2025

Effects of Reiki therapy on quality of life: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Kuiliang Liu, Zhikai Qin, Yizhen Qin, Yanfeng Li, Qing Liu, Fei Gao, Pengrui Zhang, Wei Wang

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Systematic reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. The effects of Reiki practice on breast cancer patients: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. 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

8 authors.

Kuiliang Liu *Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, 100191, China.
Zhikai Qin *Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, 100191, China.
Yizhen Qin *Taizhou University, Zhejiang, 318000, China.
Yanfeng LiCapital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, 100191, China.
Qing LiuCapital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, 100191, China.
Fei GaoCapital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, 100191, China.
Pengrui ZhangCapital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, 100191, China.
Wei WangBeijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing, P.C. 102600, China. 13911199993@139.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis review aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Reiki therapy on quality of life.

methodsThe review followed standard scientific journal practices and a systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library, with a literature cutoff of September 2024, was conducted to identify relevant studies. Inclusion criteria comprised articles published in English, randomized controlled trials (RCT), Reiki therapy as the independent variable, diverse patient populations, and outcome measures focusing on quality of life improvement.

resultsThe review involved 661 participants aged 14 years and above, showing a significant enhancement in quality of life post-Reiki therapy (SMD = 0.28, 95% CI 0.01 ~ 0.56, P = 0.043). The subgroup analysis showed that Reiki therapy interventions with a frequency of ≥ 8 sessions and a duration of ≥ 60 min and acute interventions of ≤ 20 min were most effective in improving quality of life.

conclusionsThe existing meta-analysis and systematic review suggested that Reiki therapy positively impacted quality of life. Therefore, it was recommended that patients with cancer, surgical patients, chronic illnesses, and the general population receive acute Reiki therapy sessions (≤ 20 min) or Reiki therapy with sufficient frequency (≥ 8 sessions) and duration (≥ 60 min) to enhance their quality of life. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD 42023483961.

Indexed as

Quality of LifeTherapeutic TouchHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicFatigueMeta-analysisQuality of lifeReiki therapyStress

Identifiers

PMID40148929
PMCPMC11951753

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

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.