Effect of mindfulness breathing versus acupoint stimulation on anxiety, fatigue, and sleep quality among children undergoing stem cell transplantation: a three-arm randomized controlled trial.
8 affiliations
- 1Pediatric Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
- 2Department of Maternal and Child Health Nursing, College of Nursing, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia.
- 3Pediatric Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
- 4Pediatric Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Kafr El-Sheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt.
- 5Nursing Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Madinat Zayed, Al Dhafra Region, United Arab Emirates.
- 6Pediatric Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Damanhur University, Damanhur, Egypt.
- 7Department Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
- 8Neuropsychiatry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
Abstract
Background
Children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) commonly experience anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, which may negatively affect their quality of life and recovery. Non-pharmacological interventions, including mindfulness breathing and acupoint stimulation, have emerged as supportive approaches for symptom management.Aim
This study evaluated and compared the effects of mindfulness breathing, acupoint stimulation, and routine care on anxiety, fatigue, and sleep quality among children undergoing HSCT.Methods
A three-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted at the stem cell transplantation unit of Tanta University Hospitals, Egypt. Ninety children aged 7-17 years were randomly assigned to three equal groups: control (routine care), mindfulness breathing, and acupoint stimulation. The assigned interventions were delivered once daily for seven consecutive days before transplantation and continued for one month after transplantation. Anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disturbance were assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, Fatigue Severity Scale, and PROMIS Parent Proxy Sleep Disturbance Scale, respectively. Assessments were conducted at baseline, one week, and one month after intervention.Results
Baseline sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were comparable among the three groups. Significant Group×Time interactions were observed for diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, pulse rate, anxiety, fatigue severity, and sleep disturbance scores (p < 0.001). Both mindfulness breathing and acupoint stimulation resulted in significant improvements compared with routine care. Mindfulness breathing demonstrated greater improvements across several physiological and psychological outcomes compared with acupoint stimulation and routine care.Conclusion
Mindfulness breathing and acupoint stimulation are promising complementary interventions for improving physiological and psychological outcomes among children undergoing HSCT. Mindfulness breathing showed greater improvements across several outcomes and may represent a useful supportive nursing intervention during the transplantation period. Further multicenter studies with longer follow-up are recommended to confirm the sustained effects of these interventions.Clinical trial registration
The Pan African Clinical Trial Registry PACTR 202407894821147. Date: 17 July 2024. www.http://pactr.samrc.ac.za.
Related
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BibTeX
@article{magor2026effect,
title = {{Effect of mindfulness breathing versus acupoint stimulation on anxiety, fatigue, and sleep quality among children undergoing stem cell transplantation: a three-arm randomized controlled trial.}},
author = {Nagwa Ramadan Esmail Magor and Abdelaziz Hendy and Samar Eldesoky Mohamed Ads and Sahar Wasfy Mahmoud Melika and Sahar Mahmoud Elkhedr Abdelgawad and Rasha Kadri Ibrahim and Randa Alsunitan and Mohamed Ramadan Elshanshory and Noha Fawzy Mohamed Fonon and Seham Eid Hashem Elhalafawy},
journal = {Frontiers in medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fmed.2026.1952564},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42952477},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effect of mindfulness breathing versus acupoint stimulation on anxiety, fatigue, and sleep quality among children undergoing stem cell transplantation: a three-arm randomized controlled trial.
AU - Nagwa Ramadan Esmail Magor
AU - Abdelaziz Hendy
AU - Samar Eldesoky Mohamed Ads
AU - Sahar Wasfy Mahmoud Melika
AU - Sahar Mahmoud Elkhedr Abdelgawad
AU - Rasha Kadri Ibrahim
AU - Randa Alsunitan
AU - Mohamed Ramadan Elshanshory
AU - Noha Fawzy Mohamed Fonon
AU - Seham Eid Hashem Elhalafawy
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Frontiers in medicine
DO - 10.3389/fmed.2026.1952564
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42952477
AB - Background Children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) commonly experience anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, which may negatively affect their quality of life and recovery. Non-pharmacological interventions, including mindfulness breathing and acupoint stimulation, have emerged as supportive approaches for symptom management.Aim This study evaluated and compared the effects of mindfulness breathing, acupoint stimulation, and routine care on anxiety, fatigue, and sleep quality among children undergoing HSCT.Methods A three-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted at the stem cell transplantation unit of Tanta University Hospitals, Egypt. Ninety children aged 7-17 years were randomly assigned to three equal groups: control (routine care), mindfulness breathing, and acupoint stimulation. The assigned interventions were delivered once daily for seven consecutive days before transplantation and continued for one month after transplantation. Anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disturbance were assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, Fatigue Severity Scale, and PROMIS Parent Proxy Sleep Disturbance Scale, respectively. Assessments were conducted at baseline, one week, and one month after intervention.Results Baseline sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were comparable among the three groups. Significant Group×Time interactions were observed for diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, pulse rate, anxiety, fatigue severity, and sleep disturbance scores (p < 0.001). Both mindfulness breathing and acupoint stimulation resulted in significant improvements compared with routine care. Mindfulness breathing demonstrated greater improvements across several physiological and psychological outcomes compared with acupoint stimulation and routine care.Conclusion Mindfulness breathing and acupoint stimulation are promising complementary interventions for improving physiological and psychological outcomes among children undergoing HSCT. Mindfulness breathing showed greater improvements across several outcomes and may represent a useful supportive nursing intervention during the transplantation period. Further multicenter studies with longer follow-up are recommended to confirm the sustained effects of these interventions.Clinical trial registration The Pan African Clinical Trial Registry PACTR 202407894821147. Date: 17 July 2024. www.http://pactr.samrc.ac.za.
SN - 2296-858X
ER -