1 178 182 A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF THE EFFECT OF YOGA AND PEER SUPPORT ON GLYCAEMIC OUTCOMES IN WOMEN WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: A FEASIBILITY STUDY. BACKGROUND: TYPE TWO DIABETES IS A COMPLEX AND DEMANDING CHRONIC DISEASE AND ITS IMPACT IN A STATE (KERALA) WHICH LEADS INDIA IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH DIABETES IS PROFOUND. THOUGH THE MALE TO FEMALE RATIO AMONG THE PEOPLE WITH DIABETES IS ROUGHLY EQUAL, WOMEN ARE UNIQUELY AND MORE SEVERELY AFFECTED. MANAGEMENT OF TYPE TWO DIABETES REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE DEXTERITY ON THE PART OF THE PATIENT TO MANAGE DRUGS, DIET AND EXERCISE. THEREFORE, IN A LOW MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRY LIKE INDIA IT IS NECESSARY TO LOOK AT LOW COST INTERVENTIONS THAT CAN EMPOWER THE PATIENT AND BUILD ON AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO HELP MANAGE DIABETES. HENCE, WE STUDIED THE FEASIBILITY AND EFFECT OF TWO LOW COST INTERVENTIONS; YOGA AND PEER SUPPORT ON GLYCAEMIC AND OTHER OUTCOMES AMONG WOMEN WITH TYPE TWO DIABETES. METHODS: AN OPEN LABEL PARALLEL THREE ARMED RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL WAS CONDUCTED AMONG 124 RECRUITED WOMEN WITH DIABETES FOR THREE MONTHS. BLOCK RANDOMIZATION WITH A BLOCK LENGTH OF SIX WAS CARRIED OUT WITH EACH GROUP HAVING AT LEAST 41 WOMEN. IN THE YOGA ARM, SESSIONS BY AN INSTRUCTOR, CONSISTING OF A GROUP OF POSTURES COORDINATED WITH BREATHING WERE CONDUCTED FOR AN HOUR, TWO DAYS A WEEK. IN THE PEER SUPPORT ARM EACH PEER MENTOR AFTER TRAINING VISITED 13-14 WOMEN WITH DIABETES EVERY WEEK FOLLOWED BY A PHONE CALL. THE MEETING WAS ABOUT APPLYING DISEASE MANAGEMENT OR PREVENTION PLANS IN DAILY LIFE. RESULTS: THERE WAS A TREND IN DECLINE OF FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE IN THE PEER AND YOGA GROUP AND OF GLYCOSYLATED HAEMOGLOBIN (HBA1C) IN THE YOGA GROUP ONLY, THOUGH NOT SIGNIFICANT. A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE WAS OBSERVED IN DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND HIP CIRCUMFERENCE IN THE YOGA GROUP. THE PROCESS INDICATED THAT MOST (80%) OF THE WOMEN IN THE YOGA GROUP ATTENDED CLASSES REGULARLY AND 90% OF THE WOMEN IN THE PEER GROUP REPORTED THAT PEER MENTORING WAS USEFUL. CONCLUSION: THE EFFECT OF YOGA AND PEER SUPPORT ON GLYCAEMIC OUTCOMES WAS INCREMENTAL. LONGER TERM STUDIES ARE NECESSARY TO ASCERTAIN THE BENEFITS SHOWN BY THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CTRI/2011/12/002227 DATED 14/12/2011. 2017 2 2094 79 THE EFFECT OF YOGA AND PEER SUPPORT INTERVENTIONS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF WOMEN WITH DIABETES: RESULTS OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. OBJECTIVE: THIS WAS AN INTERVENTIONAL STUDY TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF TWO LOW-COST INTERVENTIONS; YOGA AND PEER SUPPORT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) OF WOMEN WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES. METHODOLOGY: AN OPEN LABEL PARALLEL THREE-ARMED RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL WAS CONDUCTED AMONG 124 RECRUITED WOMEN WITH DIABETES FOR 3 MONTHS. BLOCK RANDOMIZATION WITH A BLOCK LENGTH OF SIX WAS CARRIED OUT. IN THE YOGA ARM, SESSIONS BY AN INSTRUCTOR, CONSISTING OF A GROUP OF POSTURES COORDINATED WITH BREATHING WERE CONDUCTED FOR AN HOUR, 2 DAYS A WEEK. IN THE PEER SUPPORT ARM, EACH PEER MENTOR AFTER TRAINING VISITED 13-14 WOMEN WITH DIABETES EVERY WEEK FOLLOWED BY A PHONE CALL. THE MEETING WAS ABOUT APPLYING DISEASE MANAGEMENT PLANS IN DAILY LIFE. AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE STUDY, QOL WAS ASSESSED BY THE TRANSLATED, VALIDATED WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION QOL-BREF IN FOUR DOMAINS PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DOMAINS. RESULTS: THE MAJORITY (96%) OF THE STUDY PARTICIPANTS PERCEIVED THE PEER SUPPORT AND YOGA INTERVENTION TO BE BENEFICIAL. PAIRED T-TEST REVEALED SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DOMAIN IN THE PEER GROUP AND IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOMAIN IN THE YOGA GROUP, THOUGH THIS DISAPPEARED IN THE BETWEEN-GROUP COMPARISON PERHAPS DUE TO POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL (HEMOGLOBIN A1C VARIED FROM 9.4 TO 9.6) AND THE SHORT DURATION OF 3 MONTHS OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSION: PEER SUPPORT AND YOGA IMPROVED PERCEPTIONS OF QOL THOUGH ITS IMPACT ON SCORES WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT DUE TO A SHORT PERIOD OF STUDY AMONG WOMEN WITH POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL. 2017 3 1303 34 HATHA YOGA PRACTICE FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS: A PILOT STUDY. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF HATHA YOGA ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS, AND SELF-CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). METHODS: TEN SEDENTARY INDIVIDUALS WITH T2DM WHO WERE NON-INSULIN DEPENDENT, FREE OF DIABETES-RELATED COMPLICATIONS, AND HAD NO PREVIOUS YOGA EXPERIENCE COMPLETED THERAPEUTIC YOGA CLASSES FOR 6 WEEKS, 3 TIMES PER WEEK . GLYCEMIC CONTROL MEASURES INCLUDED FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN, AND FASTING INSULIN. THE STATE-TRAIT ANXIETY INVENTORY, PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE, AND SALIVARY CORTISOL WERE USED TO ASSESS LEVELS OF STRESS, AND THE SUMMARY OF DIABETES SELF-CARE ACTIVITIES QUESTIONNAIRE WAS USED TO ASSESS REGIMEN ADHERENCE. RESULTS: NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN GLUCOSE CONTROL OR PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS WERE FOUND; HOWEVER, SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN PERCEIVED STRESS, STATE ANXIETY, AND SELF-CARE BEHAVIORS WERE DETECTED. CONCLUSIONS: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SUPPORT FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE BENEFITS OF HATHA YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR THOSE WITH T2DM. 2013 4 2353 35 UTILIZATION OF 3-MONTH YOGA PROGRAM FOR ADULTS AT HIGH RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES: A PILOT STUDY. VARIOUS MODES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, COMBINED WITH DIETING, HAVE BEEN WIDELY RECOMMENDED TO PREVENT OR DELAY TYPE 2 DIABETES. AMONG THESE, YOGA HOLDS PROMISE FOR REDUCING RISK FACTORS FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES BY PROMOTING WEIGHT LOSS, IMPROVING GLUCOSE LEVELS AND REDUCING BLOOD PRESSURE AND LIPID LEVELS. THIS PILOT STUDY AIMED TO ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING A 12-WEEK YOGA PROGRAM AMONG ADULTS AT HIGH RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES. TWENTY-THREE ADULTS (19 WHITES AND 4 NON-WHITES) WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO THE YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP OR THE EDUCATIONAL GROUP. THE YOGA GROUP PARTICIPATED IN A 3-MONTH YOGA INTERVENTION WITH SESSIONS TWICE PER WEEK AND THE EDUCATIONAL GROUP RECEIVED GENERAL HEALTH EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS EVERY 2 WEEKS. ALL PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES AND HAD BLOOD TESTS AT BASELINE AND AT THE END OF 3 MONTHS. EFFECT SIZES WERE REPORTED TO SUMMARIZE THE EFFICACY OF THE INTERVENTION. ALL PARTICIPANTS ASSIGNED TO THE YOGA INTERVENTION COMPLETED THE YOGA PROGRAM WITHOUT COMPLICATION AND EXPRESSED HIGH SATISFACTION WITH THE PROGRAM (99.2%). THEIR YOGA SESSION ATTENDANCE RANGED FROM 58.3 TO 100%. COMPARED WITH THE EDUCATION GROUP, THE YOGA GROUP EXPERIENCED IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHT, BLOOD PRESSURE, INSULIN, TRIGLYCERIDES AND EXERCISE SELF-EFFICACY INDICATED BY SMALL TO LARGE EFFECT SIZES. THIS PRELIMINARY STUDY INDICATES THAT A YOGA PROGRAM WOULD BE A POSSIBLE RISK REDUCTION OPTION FOR ADULTS AT HIGH RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES. IN ADDITION, YOGA HOLDS PROMISE AS AN APPROACH TO REDUCING CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK FACTORS AND INCREASING EXERCISE SELF-EFFICACY FOR THIS GROUP. 2011 5 283 46 ADHERENCE TO YOGA AND ITS RESULTANT EFFECTS ON BLOOD GLUCOSE IN TYPE 2 DIABETES: A COMMUNITY-BASED FOLLOW-UP STUDY. AIM: TO STUDY THE ADHERENCE TO YOGA AND ITS EFFECTS ON BLOOD GLUCOSE PARAMETERS IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. METHODS: A SINGLE GROUP LONGITUDINAL STUDY OVER 6 MONTHS WAS CONDUCTED AT VASK YOGA CENTRE, BANGALORE. FASTING BLOOD SUGAR, POST PRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS AND GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN AND QUALITATIVE IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW OF THE PARTICIPANTS AND THERAPIST WAS CONDUCTED AT BASELINE, END OF 3(RD) MONTH AND END OF 6 MONTHS; INTERMEDIATE OBSERVATIONS WAS CONDUCTED AT THE END OF EVERY MONTH. RESULTS: ADHERENCE TO YOGA IN THE COMMUNITY IN BANGALORE IS AROUND 50% OVER 6 MONTHS. PARTICIPANTS WHO COMPLETED THE YOGA PROGRAMME HAD SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER HBA1C (END OF 3(RD) MONTH). AT THE END OF 6 MONTHS YOGA ADHERENCE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY NEGATIVELY CORRELATED WITH FBS AND STRESS. FURTHER THERE WAS A TREND TOWARDS THOSE WHO DROPPED OUT HAVING HIGHER FBS, CONTROLLING FOR MEDICATION INTAKE, STRESS LEVELS AND DIET PATTERN (OR = 1.027, P = 0.07). QUALITATIVE DATA REVEALED THAT MOST OF THE PARTICIPANTS JOINED AND COMPLETED THE YOGA PROGRAMME TO HELP CURE THEIR DIABETES. PARTICIPANTS WHO DROPPED OUT FROM THE YOGA PROGRAMME GAVE REASONS OF TRAVEL, ILL-HEALTH AND INCREASED WORK-LOAD AT OFFICE. CONCLUSIONS: ADHERENCE TO YOGA HAS AN EFFECT ON THE BLOOD GLUCOSE PARAMETERS IN DIABETES. HENCE, STRATEGIES TO MOTIVATE PARTICIPANTS TO UNDERGO 'LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION PRACTICES' INCLUDING MAXIMIZING ADHERENCE TO YOGA SHOULD BE THE FOCUS TO EXPERIENCE ANY BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA. 2017 6 103 53 A PILOT CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY ON AWARENESS AND PRACTICE REGARDING TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND ITS MANAGEMENT WITH YOGA. DIABETES MELLITUS IS A METABOLIC DISORDER OF MULTIPLE ETIOLOGY, CHARACTERIZED BY CHRONIC HYPERGLYCAEMIA WITH DISTURBANCE OF CARBOHYDRATE, FAT, AND PROTEIN METABOLISM RESULTING FROM DEFECT IN INSULIN SECRETION, INSULIN ACTION OR BOTH. IMPROPER LIFESTYLE CONTRIBUTES TO THE INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE AFFECTED WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS ON THE MANAGEMENT OF T2DM IN ADULTS THROUGH YOGA REPORTED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN MULTIPLE MODIFIABLE INDICES OF DIABETES MELLITUS MANAGEMENT INCLUDING GLYCEMIC CONTROL, LIPID LEVELS, AND BODY COMPOSITION. AWARENESS LEVELS OF A CONDITION AMONG THE POPULATION PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN BEHAVIOUR CHANGE. HOWEVER, STUDIES RELATED TO ASSESSING THE AWARENESS AND PRACTICE OF YOGA FOR MANAGING DISEASES ARE LIMITED. HENCE, THIS STUDY WAS FORMULATED WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF ASSESSING THE AWARENESS LEVEL AND EXTENT OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT DIABETES MELLITUS AND ITS MANAGEMENT THROUGH YOGA. A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY WITH A SAMPLE SIZE OF 317 WAS CONDUCTED USING A STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE AT 5 DISTRICTS IN TAMIL NADU AND KERALA. 95% OF THE STUDY POPULATION WERE AWARE OF DIABETES MELLITUS WHILE 61.2% RESPONDED THAT DIABETES CAN BE PREVENTED BY REGULAR EXERCISE AND HEALTHY DIET. 62.4% PEOPLE PERCEIVED THAT YOGA PRACTICES CAN PREVENT DIABETES MELLITUS AND 59% MENTIONED THAT REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE CAN HELP IN CONTROLLING DIABETES AND PREVENT FURTHER COMPLICATIONS. ONLY 13% REPORTED TO PRACTICE YOGA REGULARLY AT LEAST THREE DAYS A WEEK. IDENTIFYING A QUALIFIED YOGA TRAINER WAS REPORTED TO BE A LIMITING FACTOR FOR REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE. THE STUDY SUGGESTED THAT THERE IS A NEED TO INCREASE THE ACCESS TO QUALIFIED YOGA PROFESSIONALS AT COMMUNITY LEVEL. FURTHER LARGE SCALE STUDIES WITH RANDOM SAMPLING METHOD TO ASSESS THE AWARENESS LEVEL AND PRACTICE OF YOGA IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS IS INDICATED. 2020 7 1370 48 IMPACT OF A STRUCTURED YOGA PROGRAM ON BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION AMONG HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS: STUDY PROTOCOL FOR A PRAGMATIC RANDOMIZED MULTICENTER TRIAL IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTINGS IN NEPAL. BACKGROUND: HYPERTENSION CONTROL REMAINS A MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGE. THE BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES RECOMMENDED FOR BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION ARE STRESS REDUCTION, INCREASED EXERCISE AND HEALTHY DIETARY HABITS. SOME STUDY FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA HAS A BENEFICIAL EFFECT IN REDUCING BLOOD PRESSURE. HOWEVER, THE ROLE OF YOGA ON BLOOD PRESSURE HAS RECEIVED LITTLE ATTENTION IN EXISTING HEALTH CARE PRACTICES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THIS STUDY WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN NEPAL TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PRAGMATIC YOGA INTERVENTION TO COMPLEMENT STANDARD PRACTICE IN FURTHER REDUCING BLOOD PRESSURE. METHODS: THIS WILL BE MULTICENTRIC, TWO ARMS, RANDOMIZED, NONBLINDED, PRAGMATIC TRIAL. IT WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVEN DISTRICT AYURVEDA HEALTH CENTERS (DAHCS) IN NEPAL BETWEEN JULY 2017 AND JUNE 2018. THE STUDY PARTICIPANTS WILL CONSIST OF HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH OR WITHOUT ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICATION ATTENDING TO THE OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT (OPD). ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY PARTICIPANTS WILL BE RANDOMIZED TO TREATMENT OR CONTROL GROUPS BY USING A STRATIFIED BLOCK RANDOMIZATION. AT THE STUDY SITE, THE TREATMENT ARM PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE AN INTERVENTION CONSISTING OF FIVE DAYS OF STRUCTURED YOGA TRAINING AND PRACTICE OF THE SAME PACKAGE AT HOME WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF FIVE DAYS A WEEK FOR THE FOLLOWING 90 DAYS. BOTH THE INTERVENTION AND CONTROL GROUPS WILL RECEIVE TWO HOURS OF HEALTH EDUCATION ON LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS. THE PRIMARY OUTCOME OF THIS TRIAL WILL BE THE CHANGE IN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND IT WILL BE ASSESSED AFTER 90 DAYS OF THE INTERVENTION. DISCUSSION: THIS STUDY WILL ESTABLISH THE EXTENT TO WHICH A YOGA INTERVENTION PACKAGE CAN HELP REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. IF PROVEN EFFECTIVE, STUDY FINDINGS MAY BE USED TO RECOMMEND THE GOVERNING BODIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS FOR THE INTEGRATION OF YOGA IN THE NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM FOR THE TREATMENT AND CONTROL OF HYPERTENSION. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY- INDIA (CTRI); CTRI REG. NO- CTRI/2017/02/007822 . REGISTERED ON 10/02/2017. 2018 8 1707 35 PATTERNS OF YOGA PRACTICE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOLLOWING A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR ADULTS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES. BACKGROUND: THE CURRENT STUDY DESCRIBED PATTERNS OF YOGA PRACTICE AND EXAMINED DIFFERENCES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER TIME BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES WHO COMPLETED AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION COMPARED WITH CONTROLS. METHODS: A LONGITUDINAL COMPARATIVE DESIGN MEASURED THE EFFECT OF A YOGA INTERVENTION ON YOGA PRACTICE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, USING DATA AT BASELINE AND POSTINTERVENTION MONTHS 3, 6, AND 15. RESULTS: DISPARATE PATTERNS OF YOGA PRACTICE OCCURRED BETWEEN INTERVENTION AND CONTROL PARTICIPANTS OVER TIME, BUT THE SUBJECTIVE DEFINITION OF YOGA PRACTICE LIMITS INTERPRETATION. MULTILEVEL MODEL ESTIMATES INDICATED THAT TREATMENT GROUP DID NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE IN THE RATE OF CHANGE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER THE STUDY PERIOD. WHILE AGE AND EDUCATION WERE NOT SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUAL PREDICTORS, THE INCLUSION OF THESE VARIABLES IN THE MODEL DID IMPROVE FIT. CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS INDICATE THAT AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER TIME. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NECESSARY TO EXPLORE THE INFLUENCE OF YOGA ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH OR AT RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES. 2012 9 1552 30 LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION IN BLOOD PRESSURE STUDY II (LIMBS): STUDY PROTOCOL OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL ASSESSING THE EFFICACY OF A 24 WEEK STRUCTURED YOGA PROGRAM VERSUS LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION. HYPERTENSION IS A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AFFECTING 68 MILLION ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES. LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS INCLUDING COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES SUCH AS THE MOVEMENT BASED MIND BODY PRACTICE OF YOGA HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN THE UNITED STATES AND HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AS A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE TO MEDICATION IN BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION. WE COMPLETED A PILOT STUDY IN 2009 WHICH SHOWED MEANINGFUL DECREASES IN 24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE READINGS AFTER A 12 WEEK PERIOD OF YOGA PARTICIPATION. BASED ON DATA FROM OUR PILOT STUDY WE ARE NOW COMPLETING THE LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND BLOOD PRESSURE STUDY (LIMBS II) WHICH IS A PHASE 2 RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA THERAPY AND ENHANCED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE IN PRE-HYPERTENSIVE AND STAGE 1 HYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS. USING 24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING, LIMBS II AIMS TO COMPARE THE EFFECTS ON BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION IN SUBJECTS RANDOMIZED FOR 24 WEEKS TO ONE OF THE THREE FOLLOWING GROUPS: YOGA THERAPY VERSUS BLOOD PRESSURE EDUCATION PROGRAM (SODIUM RESTRICTION AND WALKING PROGRAM) VERSUS A COMBINATION PROGRAM THAT INVOLVES COMPONENTS OF BOTH GROUPS. LIMBS II WILL ALSO EXAMINE THE IMPACT THAT CHANGES IN BLOOD PRESSURE HAVE ON CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW. IF SUCCESSFUL, THE LIMBS STUDY WILL DETERMINE IF YOGA THERAPY COMBINED WITH ENHANCED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION WILL RESULT IN CLINICALLY MEANINGFUL DECREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND THUS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO DRUG THERAPY FOR PATIENTS WITH PREHYPERTENSION AND STAGE 1 HYPERTENSION. 2013 10 810 49 EFFECT OF YOGA ON BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. INTRODUCTION: IN VIEW OF PEOPLE EMBRACING SEDENTARY LIFE STYLE, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENT BECOMING LESS, THE ROLE OF REGULAR EXERCISE ESPECIALLY 'YOGA' SEEMS TO BE A BENEFICIAL AND ECONOMICAL ADJUVANT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). OBJECTIVES: TO ASSESS THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA ON BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN NORMAL AND T2DM VOLUNTEERS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A PROSPECTIVE CASE-CONTROL STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY AND DIABETIC CLINIC OF A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL OVER PERIOD OF TWO YEARS. THE STUDY SUBJECTS CONSISTED OF 30 MALE DIABETIC PATIENTS ATTENDING DIABETIC CLINIC AND 30 NON-DIABETIC MALE VOLUNTEERS CONSTITUTED CONTROL GROUP. THE PATIENTS IN THE AGE GROUP OF 36 TO 55 YEARS WITH T2DM OF AT LEAST ONE YEAR DURATION AND THOSE ON DIABETIC DIET AND ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC AGENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY GROUP. THE AGE MATCHED HEALTHY MALE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAD COME TO JOIN YOGA TRAINING AT YOGA CENTRE WERE INCLUDED IN THE CONTROL GROUP. ALL THE PARTICIPANTS WERE TRAINED BY YOGA EXPERTS AND SUBJECTED TO REGULAR PRACTICE UNDER SUPERVISION FOR SIX MONTHS. IN ALL THE PARTICIPANTS FASTING (FBS) AND POST-PRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR (PPBS) WAS ESTIMATED BEFORE, DURING (AT THREE MONTHS) AND AFTER (SIX MONTHS) YOGA TRAINING. PAIRED STUDENT T-TEST WAS USED TO ESTIMATE DIFFERENCE IN MEANS CALCULATED BEFORE AND AFTER YOGA TRAINING IN A SAME GROUP. A P-VALUE OF <0.05 WAS CONSIDERED AS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. RESULTS: THE DISTRIBUTION OF AGE, MEAN HEIGHT AND MEAN WEIGHT AMONG BOTH THE GROUPS WERE COMPARABLE. THE REDUCTION IN MEAN VALUES OF FBS AND PPBS AT THE END OF SIX MONTHS WAS HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT (P <0.001) IN BOTH THE GROUPS WHEN COMPARED WITH THE MEAN VALUES BEFORE AND DURING (THREE MONTHS) YOGA PRACTICE. THE REDUCTION IN THESE VALUES AT THREE MONTHS DURING YOGA WAS HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT IN T2DM GROUP WHEN COMPARED WITH MEAN VALUES BEFORE YOGA (P <0.001), BUT IT WAS INSIGNIFICANT (P<0.05) IN CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS OF THE PRESENT STUDY DEMONSTRATED THAT THE YOGA IS EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH T2DM. 2015 11 784 36 EFFECT OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING. YOGA IS ASSUMING IMPORTANCE IN IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE TREATMENT OF A NUMBER OF PSYCHIATRIC AND PSYCHOSOMATIC DISORDERS. THE PRESENT STUDY WAS A PROSPECTIVE CONTROLLED STUDY TO EXPLORE THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF A COMPREHENSIVE BUT BRIEF LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION, BASED ON YOGA, ON SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING LEVELS IN NORMAL AND DISEASED SUBJECTS. NORMAL HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND SUBJECTS HAVING HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, DIABETES MELLITUS OR A VARIETY OF OTHER ILLNESSES WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE 'SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING INVENTORY' (SUBI) SCORES, TAKEN ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. THE INVENTORY CONSISTS OF QUESTIONS RELATED TO ONE'S FEELINGS AND ATTITUDE ABOUT VARIOUS AREAS OF LIFE, SUCH AS HAPPINESS, ACHIEVEMENT AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING SCORES OF THE 77 SUBJECTS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 10 DAYS AS COMPARED TO CONTROLS. THESE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT A SHORT LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM LEADS TO REMARKABLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING SCORES OF THE SUBJECTS AND CAN THEREFORE MAKE AN APPRECIABLE CONTRIBUTION TO PRIMARY PREVENTION AS WELL AS MANAGEMENT OF LIFESTYLE DISEASES. 2008 12 501 65 COMMUNITY BASED YOGA CLASSES FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES: AN EXPLORATORY RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS A POPULAR THERAPY FOR DIABETES BUT ITS EFFICACY IS CONTESTED. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF RESEARCHING COMMUNITY BASED YOGA CLASSES IN TYPE 2 DIABETES WITH A VIEW TO INFORMING THE DESIGN OF A DEFINITIVE, MULTI-CENTRE TRIAL METHODS: THE STUDY DESIGN WAS AN EXPLORATORY RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL WITH IN-DEPTH PROCESS EVALUATION. THE SETTING WAS TWO MULTI-ETHNIC BOROUGHS IN LONDON, UK; ONE WITH AVERAGE AND ONE WITH LOW MEAN SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEPRIVATION SCORE. CLASSES WERE HELD AT A SPORTS CENTRE OR GP SURGERY. PARTICIPANTS WERE 59 PEOPLE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES NOT TAKING INSULIN, RECRUITED FROM GENERAL PRACTICE LISTS OR OPPORTUNISTICALLY BY GENERAL PRACTICE STAFF. THE INTERVENTION GROUP WERE OFFERED 12 WEEKS OF A TWICE-WEEKLY 90-MINUTE YOGA CLASS; THE CONTROL GROUP WAS A WAITING LIST FOR THE YOGA CLASSES. BOTH GROUPS RECEIVED ADVICE AND LEAFLETS ON HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND WERE ENCOURAGED TO EXERCISE. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS HBA1C. SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES INCLUDED ATTENDANCE, WEIGHT, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, LIPID LEVELS, BLOOD PRESSURE, UKPDS CARDIOVASCULAR RISK SCORE, DIABETES-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (ADDQOL), AND SELF-EFFICACY. PROCESS MEASURES WERE ATTENDANCE AT YOGA SESSIONS, SELF-REPORTED FREQUENCY OF PRACTICE BETWEEN TAUGHT SESSIONS, AND QUALITATIVE DATA (INTERVIEWS WITH PATIENTS AND THERAPISTS, ETHNOGRAPHIC OBSERVATION OF THE YOGA CLASSES, AND ANALYSIS OF DOCUMENTS INCLUDING MINUTES OF MEETINGS, CORRESPONDENCE, AND EXERCISE PLANS). RESULTS: DESPITE BROAD INCLUSION CRITERIA, AROUND TWO-THIRDS OF THE PATIENTS ON GP DIABETIC REGISTERS PROVED INELIGIBLE, AND 90% OF THE REMAINDER DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE. MEAN AGE OF PARTICIPANTS WAS 60 +/- 10 YEARS. ATTENDANCE AT YOGA CLASSES WAS AROUND 50%. NOBODY DID THE EXERCISES REGULARLY AT HOME. YOGA TEACHERS FELT THAT MOST PARTICIPANTS WERE UNSUITABLE FOR 'STANDARD' YOGA EXERCISES BECAUSE OF LIMITED FLEXIBILITY, LACK OF BASIC FITNESS, CO-MORBIDITY, AND LACK OF CONFIDENCE. THERE WAS A SMALL FALL IN HBA1C IN THE YOGA GROUP WHICH WAS NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT AND WHICH WAS NOT SUSTAINED SIX MONTHS LATER, AND NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN OTHER OUTCOME MEASURES. CONCLUSION: THE BENEFITS OF YOGA IN TYPE 2 DIABETES SUGGESTED IN SOME PREVIOUS STUDIES WERE NOT CONFIRMED. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS (APART FROM LACK OF EFFICACY) INCLUDE RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES; PRACTICAL AND MOTIVATIONAL BARRIERS TO CLASS ATTENDANCE; PHYSICAL AND MOTIVATIONAL BARRIERS TO ENGAGING IN THE EXERCISES; INADEQUATE INTENSITY AND/OR DURATION OF YOGA INTERVENTION; AND INSUFFICIENT PERSONALISATION OF EXERCISES TO INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. ALL THESE FACTORS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN DESIGNING FUTURE TRIALS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NATIONAL RESEARCH REGISTER (1410) AND CURRENT CONTROLLED TRIALS (ISRCTN63637211). 2009 13 2452 44 YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR ADULTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES: DESIGN AND RATIONALE OF THE HEALTHY, ACTIVE, AND IN CONTROL (HA1C) STUDY. DIABETES IS THE SEVENTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES. FOR MOST PATIENTS, MEDICATION ALONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO ACHIEVE GLYCEMIC CONTROL; ATTENTION MUST ALSO BE PAID TO MULTIPLE HEALTHY BEHAVIORS INCLUDING DIET, REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND STRESS MANAGEMENT. YOGA, A MINDFULNESS PRACTICE WITH EMPHASIS ON RELAXATION, MEDITATION, AND DEEP BREATHING, MAY HAVE SPECIAL RELEVANCE TO PEOPLE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). YOGA PRACTICE MAY POSITIVELY AFFECT STRESS AND OTHER SELF-CARE TASKS THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVED GLYCEMIC CONTROL. THE HEALTHY, ACTIVE, AND IN CONTROL (HA1C) STUDY IS DESIGNED TO EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY OF YOGA AMONG ADULT PATIENTS WITH T2DM. IN THIS PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL, ADULTS WITH T2DM WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO EITHER A 12-WEEK IYENGAR YOGA INTERVENTION GIVEN TWICE WEEKLY, OR A TWICE-WEEKLY 12-WEEK PROGRAM OF TRADITIONAL EXERCISE (E.G., WALKING, STATIONARY CYCLING). ASSESSMENTS ARE CONDUCTED AT THE END OF TREATMENT (12 WEEKS) AND AT 3 AND 6 MONTHS POSTINTERVENTION. THE HA1C STUDY WILL ASSESS FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY (E.G., ATTENDANCE/RETENTION RATES, SATISFACTION WITH PROGRAM), GLYCEMIC OUTCOMES (E.G., HBA1C, FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE), AND CHANGES IN PHYSIOLOGICAL (E.G., SALIVARY CORTISOL) AND BEHAVIORAL FACTORS (E.G., PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, DIET) RELEVANT TO THE MANAGEMENT OF T2DM. FOCUS GROUPS ARE CONDUCTED AT THE END OF THE INTERVENTION TO EXPLORE PARTICIPANTS' EXPERIENCE WITH THE PROGRAM AND THEIR PERCEPTION OF THE POTENTIAL UTILITY OF YOGA FOR DIABETES MANAGEMENT. 2018 14 1402 49 IMPACT OF YOGA ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION - A CONTROLLED TRIAL IN PRIMARY CARE, MATCHED FOR SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE. BACKGROUND: MEDICAL TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION IS NOT ALWAYS SUFFICIENT TO ACHIEVE BLOOD PRESSURE CONTROL. DESPITE THIS, PREVIOUS STUDIES ON SUPPLEMENTARY THERAPIES, SUCH AS YOGA, ARE RELATIVELY FEW. WE INVESTIGATED THE EFFECTS OF TWO YOGA INTERVENTIONS ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE DIAGNOSED WITH HYPERTENSION. METHODS: ADULT PATIENTS (AGE 20-80 YEARS) WITH DIAGNOSED HYPERTENSION WERE IDENTIFIED BY AN ELECTRONIC CHART SEARCH AT A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTER IN SOUTHERN SWEDEN. IN TOTAL, 83 SUBJECTS WITH BLOOD PRESSURE VALUES OF 120-179/ 0.01) OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND INTENSITY OF DEPRESSION (MEAN DIFFERENCE 1.66, P > 0.05). CONCENTRATION AND ATTENTION SPAN IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY AND MEAN DISCREPANCY SCORE REDUCED (MEAN DIFFERENCE 3.42, P > 0.01). THERE WERE NO MARKED CHANGES IN THE POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR AND HBA1C. CONCLUSION: YOGA PRACTICE ENHANCES THE SUBJECTIVE WELLBEING, QOL, IMPROVES MOOD AND CONCENTRATION, AND FACILITATES ACHIEVEMENT OF ADEQUATE GLYCEMIC CONTROL AMONG TYPE II DIABETIC PATIENTS. 2016 16 2834 44 YOGA'S EFFECT ON INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS IN A HIGH RISK POPULATION - A CONTROLLED TRIAL IN PRIMARY CARE. BACKGROUND: YOGA CAN REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE AND HAS ALSO BEEN SUGGESTED TO REDUCE INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (CVDS). WE AIMED TO ASSESS THE BENEFIT OF TWO YOGA INTERVENTIONS ON INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS IN A HIGH RISK POPULATION IN PRIMARY CARE. METHODS: ADULT PATIENTS FROM A HEALTH CARE CENTER IN SWEDEN, WITH DIAGNOSED HYPERTENSION, WERE INVITED TO UNDERGO A BASELINE CHECK AT THE HEALTH CARE CENTER. BASELINE CHECK INCLUDED STANDARDIZED BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT, BMI AND WEIGHT CIRCUMFERENCE MEASUREMENTS, BLOOD SAMPLING (HS-CRP, IL-6, FP-GLUCOSE, HBA1C, CHOLESTEROL, TG, LDL AND HDL) AND A QUESTIONNAIRE ON SELF-RATED QUALITY OF LIFE (WHOQOL-BREF). THERE WERE THREE GROUPS: 1) YOGA CLASS WITH YOGA INSTRUCTOR; 2) YOGA AT HOME; AND 3) A CONTROL GROUP. IN TOTAL, 83 PATIENTS WERE INCLUDED AND MATCHED AT THE GROUP LEVEL FOR SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE. A MAJORITY OF THE PATIENTS (92 %) WERE ON ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICATION, WHICH THEY WERE REQUESTED NOT TO CHANGE DURING THE STUDY. AFTER 12 WEEKS OF INTERVENTION, THE ASSESSMENTS WERE PERFORMED AGAIN. RESULTS: WE RECORDED NO EVIDENCE THAT YOGA ALTERED INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS OR METABOLIC RISK FACTORS IN OUR STUDY POPULATION. A TOTAL OF 49 PARTICIPANTS (59 %) MET THE CRITERIA FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME. CONCLUSION: THE YOGA INTERVENTIONS PERFORMED IN OUR STUDY DID NOT AFFECT INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS OR METABOLIC RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CVD IN THE STUDY POPULATION OF PRIMARY CARE PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION. FURTHER RANDOMIZED TRIALS ARE NEEDED TO ELUCIDATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON CVD RISK FACTORS IN THIS PARTICULAR GROUP. TRAIL REGISTRATION: NCT01302535 , FEBRUARY 22, 2011. 2015 17 959 41 EFFECTS OF A YOGA INTERVENTION ON LIPID PROFILES OF DIABETES PATIENTS WITH DYSLIPIDEMIA. OBJECTIVE: THE PRESENT STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DYSLIPIDEMIA IN PATIENTS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. METHODS: THIS RANDOMIZED PARALLEL STUDY WAS CARRIED OUT IN MEDICAL COLLEGE TRIVANDRUM, KERALA, INDIA. HUNDRED TYPE 2 DIABETICS WITH DYSLIPIDEMIA WERE RANDOMIZED INTO CONTROL AND YOGA GROUPS. THE CONTROL GROUP WAS PRESCRIBED ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC DRUGS. THE YOGA GROUP PRACTICED YOGA DAILY FOR 1 H DURATION ALONG WITH ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC DRUGS FOR 3 MONTHS. THE LIPID PROFILES OF BOTH THE GROUPS WERE COMPARED AT THE START AND AT THE END OF 3 MONTHS. RESULTS: AFTER INTERVENTION WITH YOGA FOR A PERIOD OF 3 MONTHS THE STUDY GROUP SHOWED A DECREASE IN TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDES AND LDL, WITH AN IMPROVEMENT IN HDL. CONCLUSION: YOGA, BEING A LIFESTYLE INCORPORATING EXERCISE AND STRESS MANAGEMENT TRAINING, TARGETS THE ELEVATED LIPID LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES THROUGH INTEGRATED APPROACHES. 2013 18 845 40 EFFECT OF YOGA ON PULSE RATE AND BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG WOMEN. OBJECTIVES: CHANGE IN THE PAST FEW DECADES IN HUMAN LIFE STYLE, NOWADAYS INTERNATIONAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS, I.E., WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ARE ALSO FOCUSING ON PREVENTION ALONG WITH TREATMENT ASPECT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS. RESEARCHES FOCUS THAT WOMEN OF AGE GROUP 30-45 YEARS ARE AT INCREASED RISK FOR HYPERTENSION AND HEART DISEASE DUE TO INCREASED WEIGHT. YOGA IS AN EFFECTIVE METHOD TO CONTROL OUR PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES LIKE BLOOD PRESSURE (BP), PULSE, ETC. THE MAIN AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO IDENTIFY THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES. METHODS: THE STUDY WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY WITH TWO GROUP, PRETEST AND POSTTEST CONTROL GROUP, DESIGN, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED ON 40 FEMALE PARTICIPANTS. PRANAYAMA AND MEDITATION FOR A PERIOD OF 6 WEEKS WAS DONE BY THESE WOMEN. RESULTS: YOGA THERAPY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE BP (0.000*) AND PULSE RATE (0.000*) OF WOMEN, WHICH WAS ALSO STATISTICALLY PROVED. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA THERAPY CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE METHOD TO CONTROL BP AND PULSE RATE OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASES. 2021 19 685 41 EFFECT OF AN INTEGRATED NATUROPATHY AND YOGA PROGRAM ON LONG-TERM GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY. AIM: LIFESTYLE IS AN IMPORTANT RISK FACTOR FOR INCREASING THE PREVALENCE OF DIABETES IN THE INDIAN POPULATION. IN THIS STUDY, WE EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF NATUROPATHY TREATMENT, SALT-RESTRICTED LOW-CALORIE DIETS, AND YOGA IN LONG-TERM GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. METHODS: IN THIS PROSPECTIVE, LONGITUDINAL, TWO-ARM COHORT STUDY, PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS REFERRED FROM A TERTIARY CARE CENTER UNDERGOING A 3-MONTH RESIDENTIAL NATUROPATHY TREATMENT WERE COMPARED WITH THOSE UNDERGOING ONLY CONVENTIONAL MANAGEMENT ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL. BOTH FASTING AND POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE (PPBG) LEVELS WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE, 3 MONTHS FOLLOWING INTERVENTION, AT 6 MONTHS, AND 12 MONTHS FROM THE STUDY START. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING REPEATED-MEASURES ANOVA WITH POST HOC BONFERRONI CORRECTION. RESULTS: NATUROPATHY AND YOGA INTERVENTION SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED PPBG LEVELS (P < 0.001), GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS (P < 0.001), AND REDUCED REQUIREMENT FOR ANTIDIABETIC MEDICATIONS (P < 0.008) IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP COMPARED TO CONTROLS. THE EFFECTS WERE MORE PROFOUND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING INTERVENTION AND LASTED UP TO 6 MONTHS FROM THE START OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS SUGGEST BENEFIT WITH AN INTENSIVE RESIDENTIAL NATUROPATHY-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAM. RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS ARE NEEDED TO FURTHER VALIDATE THE FINDINGS. 2020 20 795 41 EFFECT OF YOGA INTERVENTION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HYPERTENSION: A PREVENTIVE TRIAL. BACKGROUND: NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES ARE ON THE RISE IN INDIA. HYPERTENSION IS ONE OF THE MAJOR RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES AND ALSO LABELED AS A CHRONIC LIFESTYLE DISORDER. HENCE, NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS LEADING TO LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS ARE OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO CONTROL AND PREVENT HYPERTENSION. THIS TRIAL AIMS TO IMPLEMENT YOGA INTERVENTION TO THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP IN ADDITION TO MEDICINES, ADVICE ON DIET AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND TO COMPARE BLOOD PRESSURE AND PERCEIVED STRESS SCORES WITH THE CONTROL GROUP. METHODS: IT WAS AN OPEN-LABEL, TWO-ARMED, NON-RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL, CONDUCTED AT A TERTIARY CARE CENTER ON 145 PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION: 73 IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP AND 72 IN THE CONTROL GROUP. THE INTERVENTION GROUP RECEIVED YOGA INTERVENTION FOR A PERIOD OF 4 MONTHS ON A WEEKLY BASIS ALONG WITH ADVICE ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, DIET, AND ROUTINE MEDICINES. THE CONTROL GROUP DID NOT RECEIVE YOGA INTERVENTION. RESULTS: THE MEAN AGE OF THE PARTICIPANTS WAS 51.3 +/- 9.4, FEMALES (58.2%) OUTNUMBERED MALES (41.3%). FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION, PERCEIVED STRESS SCORE AND BLOOD PRESSURE SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION BETWEEN TWO GROUPS (P < 0.001). ALSO, PERCEIVED STRESS AND BLOOD PRESSURE WERE FOUND TO BE REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY WITHIN BOTH GROUPS (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: YOGA PROVES TO BE AN EFFECTIVE, SAFE, AND LESS EXPENSIVE ADJUNCT THERAPY FOR HYPERTENSION MANAGEMENT. YOGA WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THE LEVEL OF STRESS. DIET MODIFICATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY HAVE GOT AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THE CONTROL AND PREVENTION OF HYPERTENSION. 2021