Effect of hypnotherapy on immune response and standard therapy in psychogenic asthma patients

Objective: Asthma is a complex inflammatory disease. The therapy for asthma is usually pharmacotherapy but it can increase the side effects in the long run. Hypnosis has been used to clinically treat asthma. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of hypnotherapy which will increase the standard of therapy in psychogenic asthma patients on immune response, stress mediators, and asthma control level. Materials and Methods: This research is a double-blind experimental randomized control trial group study with a crossover design conducted in the outpatient clinic of Dr. Moewardi Hospital, Surakarta, Indonesia. The Friedman test followed by the marginal homogeneity statistic test was used to assess variations in the levels of asthma control. The study subjects were 30 respondents who were divided randomly into groups A and B. Both groups had standard asthma therapy and hypnotherapy with a different sequence. Results: Hypnotherapy made a significant decrease in SCL 90 score within each group as follows: Group A (A1 vs A2; p=0.004) and Group B (B2 vs B3; p=0.001). Levels of asthma control improved significantly in both groups (A1 vs A2; p=0.001 and B2 vs B3; p=0.004). Hypnotherapy significantly improved the norepinephrine levels in both groups as well (A1 vs A2; p=0.001 and B2 vs B3; p=0.073). Hypnotherapy insignificantly reduced IL-13 (p=0.132) and IL-17 (p=0.149) levels. Conclusion: This study concluded that hypnotherapy applied to psychogenic asthma patients can improve their standard therapy response. This improved standard therapy response will affect the treatment, prevention, and management of uncontrolled asthma.