“Does happiness help healing?” Immune response of hospitalized children may change during visits of the Smiling Hospital Foundation’s Artists

Abstract

Psychoneuroimmunologic studies on positive emotions are few, and their clinical relevance is limited. Aims: This “SHoRT” (Smiling Hospital Research Team) study evaluates the effects that Smiling Hospital artists have on hospitalized children. Methods: Blood samples were taken in a non-painful way through branules in an accredited Infectology Ward, 30 minutes before and 1 hour after a visit of tale tellers, puppeteers and handicraft artists. 24 children were visited and 9 were included in the control group. Blood lymphocyte counts and Th1/Th2 cytokine levels were determined. Artists evaluated their effect on a subjective scale. Results: In the visited group, the increase of lymphocytes was 8.43% higher, the decrease was 12.45% lower, and the proportion of children showing increased lymphocyte counts was more increased. Changes were more marked after more successful visits. Authors found non-significant, still considerable changes in interferon-γ level (p < 0.055) and in Th1/Th2 cytokine ratios. Conclusions: This pediatric study suggests that immunological changes may develop when more attention is given to hospitalized children. Orv. Hetil., 2011, 152, 1739–1744.