Table 3.

Outcome measures and results of included studies

Study	Outcome measures	Conclusions
Pradhan et al.	SCL-90-R (Depressive Symptoms, General Severity Index), Psychological Weil-Being Scale, Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale; DAS28-ESR (obtained by rheumatologists).	No significant between-group differences in disease activity between MBSR and wait-list control at 2 months. Improvements in depressive symptoms, psychologic distress, psychological well-being at 6 months.
Fogarty et al.	DAS28-CRP, TJC, SJC (obtained by trained research specialist); PGA, Morning Stiffness; serum CRP.	MBSR compared to wait-list control showed greater improvements in DAS28-CRP (p = 0.01), morning stiffness (p = 0.03), pain (p = 0.04), TJC (p = 0.02), and PGA (p = 0.02) status post-intervention, and at 4 and 6 months.
Zautra et al. + post hoc analysis by Davis et al.	Clinical Outcomes (only half of the participants, n = 74): TJC, SJC (obtained by 3 rheumatologists); serum 1L-6 Daily diary assessments: Numerical Rating Scales (0–100) Fatigue, Pain; (< 15 min to > 5 h.) Morning Disability; (1—4) Interpersonal Stress; (1—5) Pain-Catastrophizing, Pain Control, Coping Efficacy for Pain; Positive and Negative Affect Scale-Expanded Form (PANAS-X) Serene Affect, Anxious Affect.	Mindfulness compared to education and CBT-P for RA patients with recurrent depression had significant improvements in negative affect, positive affect, and TJC. Mindfulness showed the greatest improvements in pain, stress reactivity, and pain catastrophizing post intervention compared to CBT-P and education. Post hoc analysis: Mindfulness showed greater improvements in pain-related changes in catastrophizing, morning disability, fatigue, anxious affect, serene affect compared to CBT-P and Education. There were also improvements in disability compared to CBT-P only. Of note, for those with recurrent depression, mindfulness showed greater improvements in fatigue compared to CBT-P and education.
Zangi et al.	GHQ-20, Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale (Pain, Symptoms), Emotion Approach Coping Scale (EAC); Pain, Fatigue, PGA, Self-Care Ability, Overall Weil-Being all per numeric rating scales (0–10).	Significant treatment effects favoring VTP were found post-intervention and at 12 months for psychological distress (GHQ-20), self-efficacy (pain, symptoms), emotional processing (EAC), fatigue, self-care, overall-well-being. No differences in Pain VAS were noted between groups.
Shadick et al.	RA Disease Activity Index Joint Score (RADAI), SF-12 Physical Function, Pain VAS, Beck Depression Inventory, State Trait Anxiety Inventory; DAS28-CRP (obtained by rheumatologists).	Significant improvements in pain (treatment effect, - 14.9 (29.1 SD); p = 0.04) and physical function (14.6 (25.3); p = 0.04) favoring 1FS compared to education were found post-intervention; improvements in self-reported joint pain (−0.6 (1.10;/? = 0.04), self-compassion (1.8 (2.8);p = 0.01), and depressive-symptoms (− 3.2 (5.0); p = 0.01) were sustained at 1 year. There were not any improvements in DAS28-CRP at 9- and 21-month follow-up; improvements in the RADAI were noted at 9 months (− 0.9 (− 1.6 to −0.2); p = 0.01).

TJC tender joint count, SJC swollen joint count, PGA patient global assessment, DAS-28 Disease Activity Score-28 joints, CRP C-reactive protein, GHQ-20 General Health Questionairre-20, SF-12 Short-Form-12, MBSR mindfulness-based stress reduction, CBT-P cognitive behavioral therapy-pain, VTP vitality training program