Applied Tension and Coping with Blood Donation: A Randomized Trial

Abstract

The results of this study suggest that the effects of applied tension on vasovagal symptoms are not mediated entirely by exercise-related changes in blood pressure and heart rate. Rather, it may reduce anxiety or physiological consequences of anxiety. Applied tension is a useful treatment which can help people cope during blood donation and other invasive medical interventions.

Interventions to reduce vasovagal reactions in blood donors: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Eight trials included AMT implemented using a number of different methods during donation as an intervention (Ditto et al , 2003a,b; Ditto & France, ; Ditto et al , , ; Kowalsky et al , ; Holly et al , ; Ditto et al , ). In one trial, 500 mL water was given prior to donation as a co‐intervention.…”

“…The primary outcomes of this review, namely rate of donor syncope and rate of donor return for subsequent donation, were poorly reported. Donor syncope was included as an outcome in five trials (Sauer & France, ; Ditto et al , , ; Holly et al , ; van den Berg et al , ) but only one of these (van den Berg et al , ) reported rates of syncope separately for each trial arm and one trial (Sauer & France, ) did not report results. Rates of return for subsequent donation were reported in four trials, after 1 year (Ditto et al , ; France et al , ) and 2 years (Ditto et al , , ) although one trial did not report results separately for each trial arm (France et al , ) and one trial presented results graphically with no sample sizes provided (Ditto et al , ).…”

“…No significant differences were observed between these two groups (data not shown) and therefore control and placebo groups were pooled for an overall comparison with treatment, as well as analysed separately. In trials which compared different types of AMT, full and lower‐body AMT groups (Ditto et al , , ), AMT with and without leg crossing (Ditto et al , ) and AMT during donation with/without pre‐donation AMT groups (Holly et al , ) were combined. Upper‐body AMT (Ditto et al , ) and pre‐donation AMT only (Holly et al , ) groups were excluded as analysis of the different types of AMT is beyond the scope of this review.…”

“…In trials which compared different types of AMT, full and lower‐body AMT groups (Ditto et al , , ), AMT with and without leg crossing (Ditto et al , ) and AMT during donation with/without pre‐donation AMT groups (Holly et al , ) were combined. Upper‐body AMT (Ditto et al , ) and pre‐donation AMT only (Holly et al , ) groups were excluded as analysis of the different types of AMT is beyond the scope of this review. Similarly, in a trial of two doses of caffeine compared with placebo (Sauer & France, ), the two caffeine groups were pooled and compared with the placebo group.…”

“…Eight trials (3500 participants) compared AMT to control or placebo (Ditto et al, 2003a(Ditto et al, ,2003bDitto & France, 2006b;Ditto et al, 2007Ditto et al, , 2009aDitto et al, , 2013Holly et al, 2012;Kowalsky et al, 2011). Donor syncope was reported as an outcome in three trials (Ditto et al, 2003b(Ditto et al, , 2009aHolly et al, 2012), although two (Ditto et al, 2003b;Holly et al, 2012) did not report the rate of donor syncope separately for each trial arm. No trial found evidence for a difference in the risk of donor syncope between treatment groups.…”