Effects of a stress‐reduction program on psychological function, pain, and physical function of systemic lupus erythematosus patients: A randomized controlled trial

Objective To assess the effects of a stress‐reduction program on pain, psychological function, and physical function in persons with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who experience pain. Methods Ninety‐two SLE patients were assigned randomly to receive either biofeedback‐assisted cognitive‐behavioral treatment (BF/CBT), a symptom‐monitoring support (SMS) intervention, or usual medical care (UC) alone. Results BF/CBT participants had significantly greater reductions in pain and psychological dysfunction compared with the SMS group (pain, P = 0.044; psychological functioning, P < 0.001) and the UC group (pain, P = 0.028; psychological functioning, P < 0.001). BF/CBT had significantly greater improvement in perceived physical function compared with UC (P = 0.035), and improvement relative to SMS was marginally significant (P = 0.097). At a 9‐month followup evaluation, BF/CBT continued to exhibit relative benefit compared with UC in psychological functioning (P = 0.023). Conclusion This study supports the utility of a brief stress management program for short‐term improvement in pain, psychological function, and perceived physical function among persons with SLE who experience pain.