Randomization, allocation concealment, assignment of interventions and blinding
MM, anxiety
Patients were assigned to one of the two treatment groups with the use of computer-generated randomization table (test group: mindfulness meditation (MM); control group: non-meditated. Treatment assignment was concealed to the meditator (O.U.T.) by opaque envelopes.All patients were scheduled between 9 and 11 am to avoid any variations in the anxiety and salivary cortisol levels due to circadian rhythms. One patient from the test group did not show up at the surgery appointment. Therefore, the data from 41 participants was analyzed.