Review: some evidence suggests that cognitive behaviour therapy may reduce chest pain in the short term in patients with non-specific chest pain and normal coronary anatomy
Q Are psychological treatments effective for patients with non-specific chest pain and normal coronary anatomy?
METHODS
Data sources:
Cochrane Review Group Specialised registers (November 2002); Cochrane Library (Issue 3, 2002); Medline (1966–2002); CINAHL (1982–2002); EMBASE/Excerpta Medica (1980–2002); PsycLIT (1887–2002); Biological Abstracts BIOSIS (1980–2002); reference lists of relevant studies and reviews; abstracts from cardiology, psychiatry, and psychiatry conferences; and personal communication with authors.
Study selection and assessment:
randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared psychological interventions (cognitive behaviour therapy [CBT], relaxation therapy, hyperventilation control, or other psychotherapy, talking, or counselling therapy) with standard care, an attention placebo, or no intervention in patients with non-specific chest pain, atypical chest pain, or syndrome X and normal coronary anatomy. Patients receiving drug treatment for psychiatric disorders were excluded. Individual study quality was assessed based on randomisation, allocation concealment, blinding, and loss to follow up.
Outcomes:
significant reduction in chest pain (pain intensity measured by categorical or visual analogue scales; or mean difference in …
