Auriculotherapy for anxiety, quality of life and fear of COVID-19 in pregnant women: a randomized clinical trial.
Hérica Pinheiro Corrêa, Kauê Batista Andrade, Tânia Couto Machado Chianca and 5 others
PMID 40298693WHAT IT FOUND
Radionic crystals on tape did not reduce anxiety more than placebo tape in low-risk pregnant women.
The crystals on tape improved physical and environmental quality-of-life scores versus placebo tape. Both groups had less anxiety and fear of COVID-19 over time.
Key findings
01Radionic crystals fixed on microporous tape did not reduce anxiety more than microporous tape alone at final assessment or follow-up.
02Physical and environmental quality-of-life scores were better in the radionic crystals on tape group than in the tape-only placebo group.
03Of the pregnant women assessed, 86.54% (n=90) reported no symptoms or adverse reactions.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only participants were blinded to group; the interventionist knew the group assignment. The placebo group received tape and nurse contact, so the contribution of radionic crystals cannot be separated from tape, attention or usual prenatal care. The analysed counts are inconsistent: the text says 53 intervention and 54 placebo analysed, although 59 intervention and 54 placebo were allocated and 3 placebo were lost. Follow-up was only seven days. Participants were low-risk pregnant women in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, with similar sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics, so results may not generalise. The study used a general anxiety inventory rather than a validated instrument specific to pregnancy anxiety.
Declared interests
Funded by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG), grant APQ-01762-22. No competing interests are stated in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the quality-of-life improvements as proof that radionic crystals on tape treat anxiety. The primary anxiety outcome did not differ between groups, and anxiety fell in both the crystals-on-tape and tape-only groups.