Fifteen studies were included in the review of efficacy (n at least 6,889): 5 RCTs (n=5,263), 4 studies described as clinical trials (n at least 160) and 6 studies that evaluated faith-based partnerships (n at least 1,466). The number of participants was not reported for all studies.
RCTs.
One double-blind RCT (219 women undergoing in vitro fertilisation) reported that women allocated to distant IP had significantly higher pregnancy rates (50% versus 26%, p=0.0013) and implantation rates (16% versus 8%, p=0.0005) than non IP women.
One RCT (approximately 4,000 adults with bloodstream infections) reported that retrospective distant IP was associated with a significant decrease in hospital stay (p=0.01) and duration of fever (p=0.04); the reviewers also reported that there was no difference in the median duration of fever.
One double-blind RCT (799 patients discharged from a coronary care unit) reported no significant differences between distant IP and no IP in death, revascularisation, emergency department visits or cardiac arrest.
One RCT (150 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention) reported that noetic therapy plus standard treatment was associated with a statistically non significant reduction in adverse periprocedural outcomes. The only deaths occurred in patients allocated to noetic therapy (9.2% over 6 months).
One RCT (95 adults with end-stage renal disease) evaluated expectation, IP, nonreligious positive visualisation and no intervention in a 2x3 factorial trial. It reported no significant difference in medical or psychological outcomes between IP and positive visualization, but found that patients who expected to receive IP reported significantly improved well-being (p<0.02).
Clinical trials.
Four studies described as clinical trials were included. These examined disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis patients, immunological indicators in metastatic breast cancer patients, anxiety in students, and health and social outcomes in healthy individuals. All reported positive effects of religious activity.
Faith-based partnerships.
Six studies described as faith-based partnerships were included. These assessed fruit and vegetable consumption, cardiovascular risk factors and mammography uptake. All reported positive effects of the (often multi-component) interventions.