title: Perception of empathy in the therapeutic encounter: effects on the common cold.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of patient-practitioner interaction on the severity and duration of the common cold.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a randomized controlled trial of 719 patients with new cold onset. Participants were randomized to three groups: no patient-practitioner interaction, "standard" interaction or an "enhanced" interaction. Cold severity was assessed twice daily. Patients randomized to practitioner visits used the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure to rate clinician empathy. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and neutrophil counts were obtained from nasal wash at baseline and 48 h later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients' perceptions of the clinical encounter were associated with reduced cold severity and duration. Encounters rated perfect on the CARE score had reduced severity (perfect: 223, sub-perfect: 271, p=0.04) and duration (perfect: 5.89 days, sub-perfect: 7.00 days, p=0.003). CARE scores were also associated with a more significant change in IL-8 (perfect: mean IL-8 change 1586, sub-perfect: 72, p=0.02) and neutrophil count (perfect: 49, sub-perfect: 12, p=0.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When patients perceive clinicians as empathetic, rating them perfect on the CARE tool, the severity, duration and objective measures (IL-8 and neutrophils) of the common cold significantly change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study helps us to understand the importance of the perception of empathy in a therapeutic encounter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA. Drakel@uwhealth.org
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rakel
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Zhengjun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoeft
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chewning
authors.forename: Lucille
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marchand
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scheder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003139:Common Cold / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010465:Perception; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014922:Wisconsin; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016209:Interleukin-8