THERAPEUTIC TOUCH AND IN VITRO ERYTHROPOIESIS.
Contributors: Indiana University School of Nursing.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 164
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Biology, Animal Physiology.
Description: The purpose of this study was to explore Therapeutic Touch (TT) and erythropoiesis under rigorously controlled, in vitro conditions. The research was designed to test the theorem of accelerated differentiation as evidenced by enhanced hemoglobinization, cellular maturity, and numbers of colonies in erythroid cultures receiving TT compared to cultures receiving simulated TT or a no treatment control. The theorem was derived from Rogers' Science of Unitary Human Beings.

An experimental, factorial design was used and measurements taken from eight burst forming units-erythroid (BFU-E) and eight colony forming units-erythroid (CFU-E) culture systems. Data from each normal donor were treated as a separate experiment in accordance with standard hematological procedure. Twice daily interventions were performed by three practitioners and one simulator. Calculations of the amount of hemoglobin in BFU-E derived cells were based on the optical densities of their colored reaction products as measured by spectrophotometry. Numbers and types of erythroid precursors in the BFU-E cultures were confirmed through differential cell counts. The CFU-E derived colonies were enumerated by a hematologist using standard morphological criteria.

Differences in mean erythroid numbers and amount of hemoglobinization were detected through a priori contrasts using separate variance estimates of the F statistic. The chi square test for homogeneity was used to determine differences in cellular maturity. Support for hypotheses was based on significance and sufficient numbers of successfully replicated experiments.

Significantly reduced hemoglobin levels in only three of the eight cultures receiving TT were in exact opposition to the elevated levels expected. Five of the eight experiments showed significant differences in maturation between the TT group and other two conditions, but only half occurred in the direction hypothesized. The prediction of greater numbers of CFU-E derived colonies in the TT group was replicated no more than three times at any concentration of erythropoietin. Thus, none of the three hypotheses was supported. However, TT reduced hemoglobinization and erythroid proliferation, while enhancing cellular maturation in approximately 75% of the BFU-E and CFU-E cultures. This unexpected trend, when compared to in vivo results, merits further investigation.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-03, Section: B, page: 1338.

Thesis (D.N.S.)--INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING, 1992.

School code: 0815.