title: [Distant healing and diabetes mellitus. A pilot study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Institut für Grenzgebiete der Psychologie und Psychohygiene, Freiburg (IGPP) in cooperation with the Abteilung Naturheilkunde, University Hospital, Zürich investigated whether Distant Healing has a beneficial effect on patients with diabetes mellitus regarding the state of the disease and quality of life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal of the pilot study was to observe the progression of the disease with various medical and psychological measures and to explore which of them might be sensitive for measuring possible treatment effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  14 diabetic patients were observed for a period of 16 weeks. Within this time they underwent a treatment of 4 consecutive weeks (weeks 9-12) by 5 experienced and trustworthy healers each. Patients were informed about the duration of the treatment but not about the time point of its beginning. Patients and healers never met and there was no contact between researchers and patients during the study period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With regard to medical parameters, reduction in fructosamine level was observed during the healing period, increasing fructosamine level after the end of the healing period. Sensitivity, measured only at the beginning and at the end of the study period, decreased significantly. The other parameters showed some significant changes but there was no correlation to the Distant Healing intervention. Regarding the psychological data, only improvements were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate the possibility that a Distant Healing intervention could have certain effects on patients with diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Naturheilkunde, Departement Innere Medizin, Universitätsspital Zürich, Schweiz, Germany. mebneter@gmx.net
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebneter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Binder
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kristof
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Walach
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D029221:Faith Healing / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D019270:Fructosamine / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019270:Fructosamine