title: Benefits of Reiki therapy for a severely neutropenic patient with associated influences on a true random number generator.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reiki therapy is documented for relief of pain and stress. Energetic healing has been documented to alter biologic markers of illness such as hematocrit. True random number generators are reported to be affected by energy healers and spiritually oriented conscious awareness.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patient was a then 54-year-old severely ill man who had hepatitis C types 1 and 2 and who did not improve with conventional therapy. He also suffered from obesity, the metabolic syndrome, asthma, and hypertension. He was treated with experimental high-dose interferon/riboviron therapy with resultant profound anemia and neutropenia. Energetic healing and Reiki therapy was administered initially to enhance the patient's sense of well-being and to relieve anxiety. Possible effects on the patient's absolute neutrophil count and hematocrit were incidentally noted. Reiki therapy was then initiated at times of profound neutropenia to assess its possible effect on the patient's absolute neutrophil count (ANC). Reiki and other energetic healing sessions were monitored with a true random number generator (RNG).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant relationships were documented between Reiki therapy, a quieting of the electronically created white noise of the RNG during healing sessions, and improvement in the patient's ANC. The immediate clinical result was that the patient could tolerate the high-dose interferon regimen without missing doses because of absolute neutropenia. The patient was initially a late responder to interferon and had been given a 5% chance of clearing the virus. He remains clear of the virus 1 year after treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association between changes in the RNG, Reiki therapy, and a patient's ANC is the first to the authors' knowledge in the medical literature. Future studies assessing the effects of energetic healing on specific biologic markers of disease are anticipated. Concurrent use of a true RNG may prove to correlate with the effectiveness of energetic therapy.
authors: Institute for Scientific Study of Consciousness, Georgetown, DE 19947, USA. melvinmorse@hotmail.com
authors: Melvin L
authors: ML
authors: Morse
authors: Lance W
authors: LW
authors: Beem
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy; D003243:Consciousness; D006400:Hematocrit; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019222:Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D029181:Spirituality; D019124:Therapeutic Touch
chemical_list: D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons