American Heart Journal
Volume 151, Issue 4 , Pages 934-942 , April 2006

Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) in cardiac bypass patients: A multicenter randomized trial of uncertainty and certainty of receiving intercessory prayer

  • Herbert Benson, MD

      Affiliations

    • Mind/Body Medical Institute and the Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Herbert Benson, MD, Mind/Body Medical Institute, 824 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.
    • Drs Benson, Dusek, and Hibberd contributed equally to this article.
    • ,
  • Jeffery A. Dusek, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Mind/Body Medical Institute and the Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
    • Drs Benson, Dusek, and Hibberd contributed equally to this article.
    • ,
  • Jane B. Sherwood, RN

      Affiliations

    • Consultant to the Mind/Body Medical Institute.
    • ,
  • Peter Lam, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Consultant to the Mind/Body Medical Institute.
    • ,
  • Charles F. Bethea, MD

      Affiliations

    • Oklahoma Heart Institute, Integris Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK
    • ,
  • William Carpenter, MDiv

      Affiliations

    • Pastoral Care, Integris Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK
    • ,
  • Sidney Levitsky, MD

      Affiliations

    • CareGroup, Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
    • ,
  • Peter C. Hill, MD

      Affiliations

    • Section of Cardiac Surgery, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC
    • ,
  • Donald W. Clem Jr., MA

      Affiliations

    • Pastoral Care, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC
    • ,
  • Manoj K. Jain, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation, Memphis, TN
    • ,
  • David Drumel, MDiv

      Affiliations

    • Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation, Memphis, TN
    • Pastoral Care, Memphis, TN
    • ,
  • Stephen L. Kopecky, MD

      Affiliations

    • Mayo Physician Alliance for Clinical Trials, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN
    • ,
  • Paul S. Mueller, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN
    • ,
  • Dean Marek

      Affiliations

    • Chaplain Services, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN
    • ,
  • Sue Rollins, RN, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Oklahoma Heart Institute, Integris Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK
    • ,
  • Patricia L. Hibberd, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Drs Benson, Dusek, and Hibberd contributed equally to this article.
    • Consultant to the Mind/Body Medical Institute.

Received 5 January 2005 ,Accepted 6 May 2005.

References 

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  20. Dusek JA, Sherwood JB, Friedman R, et al. Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP): study design and research methods. Am Heart J. 2002;143:577–584
  21. Schulz KF, Grimes DA. Allocation concealment in randomised trials: defending against deciphering. Lancet. 2002;359:614–618
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  25. New York State Department of Health Cardiac Services Program 1997 CSRS Data: dated February 22, 2002.
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 This study was supported by the John Templeton Foundation. The Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation supported the Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation site only.

PII: S0002-8703(05)00649-6

doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2005.05.028

American Heart Journal
Volume 151, Issue 4 , Pages 934-942 , April 2006

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