Overview

• Researchers at Universitätsklinikum Essen studied 124 healthy adults given a transient inflammatory challenge and then either 600 mg ibuprofen or a placebo with either encouraging or neutral clinician communication.
• Participants who received an encouraging statement reported greater relief of symptoms, including less discomfort, lower anxiety and better mood.
• Even those who took a placebo experienced perceived improvement when expectations were set positively by the clinician.
• Communication style did not change objective measures, while ibuprofen itself reduced temperature, heart rate and inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6.
• The work, led by Prof. Sven Benson within the DFG-funded “Treatment Expectation” program, supports bringing expectation and communication strategies into routine medical care.