Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41020118›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychology2025

Emotional freedom techniques for elderly patients with COVID-19: a case series on clinical recovery, frailty, and inflammatory biomarkers.

Nina Kemala Sari, Erlina Burhan, Fathiyah Isbaniah, Dewi Yennita, Stepvia Stepvia

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In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Nina Kemala SariDepartment of Internal Medicine, Geriatric Division, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Referral Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Erlina BurhanDepartment of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Persahabatan Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Fathiyah IsbaniahDepartment of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Persahabatan Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Dewi YennitaDepartment of Clinical Pathology, Persahabatan Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Stepvia StepviaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Geriatric Division, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Referral Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Older adults are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 due to immunosenescence and comorbidities, resulting in higher rates of severe illness and mortality. Psychological distress such as anxiety and fatigue further compounds disease burden. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), an integrative psychophysiological approach, has shown potential in enhancing psychological resilience and modulating inflammatory responses. Methods: We report a case series of five elderly patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to Persahabatan Hospital, Jakarta. Each received standard pharmacological care, including antiviral therapy, corticosteroids, and comorbidity management, alongside daily EFT sessions combining acupressure, affirmations, and exposure techniques. Clinical symptoms, frailty status (via WHAS criteria), WHO Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement (OSCI), and serum IL-6 levels were monitored over a 30-day follow-up period. Emotional well-being was qualitatively assessed through follow-up interviews and therapist observations of patient engagement and affective behavior. Results: All patients demonstrated substantial clinical improvement. OSCI scores decreased from baseline values of 3-4 to 1 by the final follow-up, representing a 66-75% reduction in clinical severity. Frailty status improved markedly across all cases. IL-6 levels showed an average reduction of approximately 85%, suggesting a clinically meaningful improvement in systemic inflammation. No residual symptoms or adverse events were reported. Patients also demonstrated enhanced emotional well-being and adherence to EFT through digital guidance. Conclusion: EFT may serve as a safe and supportive adjunct therapy in elderly COVID-19 patients, potentially accelerating clinical recovery and reducing inflammation and frailty. Further controlled trials are warranted to evaluate broader applicability in geriatric care.

Indexed as

COVID-19elderlyemotional freedom techniques (EFT)frailtyIL-6WHO ordinal scale

Identifiers

PMID41020118
PMCPMC12460415

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