Table 4.

Quality of life outcomes: summary of measures and results

First author (year)	Purpose and intervention	Outcome measures	Main findings
Clark et al. (2012)[60]	Purpose: Determine the feasibility of using 3 complementary interventions in relieving the physical and emotional symptoms associated with CIPN while increasing capacity for mindfulness or self-focused attention. Intervention: A. Reiki intervention (n = 7)—up to 5 sessions over a 6-week period B. Yoga intervention (n = 7)—weekly session over 6 weeks C. Meditation intervention (n = 5)—weekly session over 6 weeks Control: One hour holistic education weekly for 6 weeks	Quality of life and PN using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapies—Gynecologic Group—Neurotoxicity Scale (FACT/GOG-NTx)	No significant difference between intervention groups on FACT/GOG-NTx. Subjects in the control group demonstrated significantly higher levels of neurotoxicity related QoL according to mean FACT/GOG-NTx score (M = 31.14, SD = 8.47 pre-test, M = 27.86, SD = 9.82 post-test, p = 0.037).
Park and Park (2015)[59]	Purpose: Analyze the effects of foot bathing and massage in patients with CIPN. Intervention group: One 30-min foot bath (temp 40 °C) session every other day, totaling 8 times over 2 weeks. Control: 30 min general massage sessions every other day, for a total of 8 times over 2 weeks	Quality of life (QoL) assessed using Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group/Neurotoxicity (FACT/GOG-NTx)	QoL (mean FACT-G score) increased in the foot bath group post-intervention (M = 62.75, SD = 11.29 pre-intervention vs M = 65.33, SD = 12.96 post-intervention, p = 0.028). Significant decrease in QoL in the foot massage group post-intervention (M = 59.63, SD = 12.47 pre-intervention vs M = 53.33, SD = 11.09 post-intervention, p = 0.042). QOL related to the symptoms (mean FACT-NTx score) in the foot bath group increased over time (M = 26.79, SD = 4.81 pre-intervention vs M = 31.13, SD = 5.57 post-intervention, p < 0.001), in comparison to QoL in the foot massage group which decreased over time (M = 29.42, SD = 7.82 pre-intervention vs M = 26.38, SD = 7.75 post-intervention, p < 0.001).
Dixit et al. (2014)[66]	Purpose: Evaluate the effect of 8-week moderate-intensity aerobic (heart-rate reserve 40–60%) exercise on neuropathy quality of life in people with diabetic PN. Intervention: Exercise training in the range of 40–60% of heart-rate reserve (HRR) within a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) (scale ranging from 6 to 20). Delivered 5–6 days of the week for 8 weeks, accumulating a minimum of 150 min/week to a maximum of 360 min/week. Control: Standard medical care, education for foot care and diet	Neuropathy quality of life (NQOL) score	Intervention group reported a reduction in mean NQOL score (M = 32.85, SD = 1.32, 95% CIs [33.28–32.42], decreased to M = 24.41, SD = 1.12, 95% CIs [24.82–24.00]), while the control group reported an increase in mean NQOL score (M = 33.55, SD = 1.37, 95% CIs [33.95–33.15], increased to M = 34.16, SD = 1.37, 95% CIs [34.61–33.71], p < 0.001)
Nathan et al., (2017)[63]	Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness of community-based mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) courses to improve physical and mental functioning among patients with PDPN whose medical treatment has been optimized. Intervention: Nine sessions of MBSR: eight weekly, 2.5-h sessions and one 6-h session on a weekend day midway through the course. Control: Usual activities, offered the opportunity to enroll in a MBSR course once the study was complete	Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) for QoL; Short Form-12 Health Survey version 2 (SF-12); Neuropathy-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (NQoL)	14 of 30 in the MBSR group (46.7%) compared to 2 of 32 in the control group (6.2%) reported improvements in mean PGIC score at the 12-week follow-up (adjusted OR 18.8, 95% CIs [2.3–151.5], p = 0.007), indicating that they perceived an increase in general well-being. The MBSR group mean NQoL score indicated higher quality of life related to pain between baseline and week 12 (M = − 1.39, 95% CIs [− 2.16 to − 0.61]), compared to the control group (M = 0.90, 95% CIs [− 0.53 to 2.33], p = 0.006). All SF-12 subscale mean scores indicated improvement in reported symptoms for the MBSR group, with the exception of vitality and role emotion (p < 0.05).
McCrary et al. (2019)[68]	Purpose: Evaluate the impact of a multimodal exercise intervention on CIPN symptoms, functional deficits, and neurophysiologic parameters. Intervention: 8-week exercise intervention with resistance, balance, and cardio elements, 3 times per week. Control: 8-week pre-intervention control period	Quality of Life (QoL) (SF-36)	Significant improvement in QoL (SF-36) (M = 60.5, SE = 3.7 pre-exercise to M = 69.1, SE = 3.6 post-exercise, p = 0.003)
Ruhland and Shields (1997)[65]	Purpose: Examine the effects of a home exercise program on PN impairment and QoL. Intervention: Exercise with Thera-Bands and cycling or walking for 10 to 20 min, over 6 weeks. Control: Maintain current levels of activity	Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36)	Significant improvement within the role limitation (physical) dimension of the SF-36, with mean scores increasing from M = 28.6 pre-test to M = 53.6 post-test (p = 0.007) for the exercise group compared to M = 55.4 pre-test to M = 62.5 (n.s.) for the control group.
Ahn and Song (2012)[67]	Purpose: Determine the effects of tai chi exercise on glucose control, neuropathy scores, balance, and quality of life in patients with diabetic PN. Intervention: One hour of tai chi per session, twice a week for 12 weeks. Control: Usual care	Subjective: Korean version of the SF-36v2 (36-Item Short Form Health Survey version 2)	Significant improvement in mean SF-36v2 score for several subsets including physical function (p = 0.028), bodily pain (p = 0.009), physical role limitation (p = 0.006), emotional role limitation (p = 0.002), and social functioning (p = 0.001)
Teixeira (2010)[62]	Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation on quality of life among adults living with symptomatic diabetic PN. Intervention: Treatment group received instruction in mindfulness meditation and were instructed to listen to guided CD 5 days per week over a 4-week period. Control: Nutritional advice and asked to maintain a food diary for 4 weeks	Quality of life using NQoL	No significant differences for adjusted overall QoL; symptom-related QoL; emotion-related QoL; sensory-motor related QoL; pain QoL

CIPN = chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy; M = mean; SD = standard deviation; PN = peripheral neuropathy; CI = confidence interval; PDPN = painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy; OR = odds ratio; SE = standard error; n.s. = not significant