1 1295 151 GUIDELINES FOR TEACHING YOGA TO WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER-RELATED LYMPHOEDEMA: AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH. BREAST CANCER-RELATED LYMPHOEDEMA (BCRL) IS A CHRONIC CONDITION THAT REQUIRES LIFELONG MANAGEMENT TO PREVENT THE CONDITION WORSENING AND TO REDUCE THE THREAT OF INFECTION. WOMEN ARE AFFECTED IN ALL DOMAINS OF THEIR LIFE. AS A HOLISTIC PRACTICE, YOGA MAY BE OF BENEFIT BY REDUCING BOTH THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS OF LYMPHOEDEMA. WOMEN WITH BCRL ARE ATTENDING YOGA CLASSES IN INCREASING NUMBERS, SO IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOGA BE BASED ON PRINCIPLES THAT ENSURE LYMPHOEDEMA IS CONTROLLED AND NOT EXACERBATED. TWO RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIALS WITH A YOGA INTERVENTION HAVE HAD POSITIVE RESULTS AFTER AN 8-WEEK INTERVENTION (N=28) AND 6-MONTHS AFTER A 4-WEEK INTERVENTION (N=18). THE FIRST STUDY HAD SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT RESULTS AND WOMEN REPORTED INCREASED BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL IMPROVEMENTS. BOTH STUDIES SHOWED TRENDS TO IMPROVED LYMPHOEDEMA STATUS. THE YOGA INTERVENTIONS COMPROMISED BREATHING, PHYSICAL POSTURES, MEDITATION AND RELAXATION PRACTICES BASED ON SATYANANDA YOGA(R), WITH MODIFICATIONS TO PROMOTE LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE AND FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES OF BEST CURRENT CARE FOR THOSE WITH BCRL. INDIVIDUAL NEEDS WERE CONSIDERED. THE YOGA PROTOCOL THAT WAS USED IN THE 8-WEEK TRIAL IS PRESENTED. OUR AIM IS TO PROVIDE PRINCIPLES FOR YOGA TEACHERS/THERAPISTS WORKING WITH THIS CLIENTELE THAT CAN BE ADAPTED TO OTHER YOGA STYLES. FURTHER, THESE PRINCIPLES MAY PROVIDE A BASIS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOGA PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WITH SECONDARY LYMPHOEDEMA IN OTHER AREAS OF THEIR BODY AS THE POPULATION REQUIRING CANCER TREATMENT CONTINUES TO INCREASE. WHILST THE STYLE OF YOGA PRESENTED HERE HAS HAD POSITIVE OUTCOMES, FURTHER APPLICATION AND RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO FULLY DEMONSTRATE ITS EFFECTIVENESS. 2017 2 2705 40 YOGA INTERVENTIONS USED FOR THE REHABILITATION OF STROKE, PARKINSON'S DISEASE, AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: A SCOPING REVIEW OF CLINICAL RESEARCH. OBJECTIVES: THE CURRENT BODY OF LITERATURE WAS REVIEWED TO COMPILE AND DESCRIBE YOGA INTERVENTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN APPLIED IN CLINICAL RESEARCH AND NEUROLOGIC REHABILITATION SETTINGS WITH PATIENTS AFFECTED BY STROKE, PARKINSON'S DISEASE (PD), AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS). DESIGN: AVAILABLE LITERATURE ON YOGA THERAPY (YT) WAS MAPPED FOLLOWING A FIVE-STAGE FRAMEWORK TO IDENTIFY KEY CONCEPTS, KNOWLEDGE GAPS, AND EVIDENCE TO INFORM PRACTICE. PUBLICATIONS WERE IDENTIFIED THROUGH MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, AND PSYCINFO. SELECTED STUDIES REQUIRED SUBJECTS WITH A CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS OF STROKE, PD, AND MS TO PARTICIPATE IN A YOGA INTERVENTION AND HAVE PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, AND/OR PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOME MEASURES ASSESSED. RESULTS: A TOTAL OF 50 STUDIES WERE INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW. STUDY CHARACTERISTICS, PATIENT DEMOGRAPHICS, DESCRIPTION OF THE YOGA INTERVENTION, REPORTED OUTCOME MEASURES AND THE MAIN FINDINGS WERE EXTRACTED FROM THE STUDIES. CONCLUSION: IMPLEMENTING YT IN NEUROREHABILITATION CAN HELP HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS INTEGRATE A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT ADDRESSES THE FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES OF LIVING WITH A CHRONIC AND DEBILITATING NEUROLOGIC DISORDER. THE INCLUDED STUDIES DESCRIBED YOGIC INTERVENTIONS CONSISTING OF GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL THERAPY SESSIONS LASTING 60-75 MIN THAT WERE CARRIED OUT ONE TO THREE TIMES PER WEEK FOR 8-12 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS ACROSS ALL THREE CONDITIONS. ALL STUDIES DESCRIBED IN THIS SCOPING REVIEW USED DIFFERENT YOGA PROTOCOLS CONFIRMING THE LACK OF SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONAL PARAMETERS AVAILABLE FOR IMPLEMENTING YOGA INTO THE REHABILITATION OF INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY STROKE, PD, OR MS. 2021 3 2275 45 THE ROLE OF YOGA IN WORKING FROM HOME DURING THE COVID-19 GLOBAL LOCKDOWN. BACKGROUND: THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS BECOME A MAJOR CAUSE OF STRESS AND ANXIETY WORLDWIDE. DUE TO THE GLOBAL LOCKDOWN, WORK, EMPLOYMENT, BUSINESSES AND THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE HAVE BEEN SEVERELY AFFECTED. IT HAS GENERATED STRESS AMONG PEOPLE FROM ALL SECTIONS OF SOCIETY, ESPECIALLY TO WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO CATER TO HEALTHCARE SERVICE OR THOSE CONSTRAINED TO SECURE DAILY ESSENTIAL ITEMS. IT IS WIDELY PERCEIVED THAT ELDERLY OR THOSE AFFECTED BY DIABETES, HYPERTENSION AND OTHER CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES ARE PRONE TO COVID-19. AS PER AN ONGOING SURVEY, THE INITIAL DATA SHOWS THAT THE ABOVE-MENTIONED ANXIETY AND STRESS CAUSE INSOMNIA, AND HAS THE CONSIDERABLE POTENTIAL TO WEAKEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, THE SOLE PROTECTION AGAINST THE VIRUS. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY FOCUSES ON THE NEED OF YOGA PRACTICE AT WORK PLACES AND AT HOME DURING THE GLOBAL LOCKDOWN DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. METHODS: LITERATURE WAS SEARCHED USING PUBMED AND GOOGLE SCHOLAR FOR COVID-19-RELATED STRESS AND ANXIETY AT WORK AND SOCIETY DUE TO THE WORLDWIDE LOCKDOWN. THE PREDISPOSING COMORBIDITIES, VIRAL MECHANISM OF ACTION AND TREATMENT REGIMEN WERE ALSO SEARCHED. YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION STUDIES AND ONLINE PROGRAMS WERE ALSO SEARCHED. RESULTS: AS THE LOCKDOWN CANNOT LAST FOREVER AND WORKPLACES WILL HAVE TO BE FUNCTIONAL SOON, THERE IS AN INCREASED POSSIBILITY OF RECURRENT INFECTION. THEREFORE, YOGA CAN PROVIDE THE NECESSARY TOOL FOR RISK REDUCTION, AMELIORATION OF STRESS AND ANXIETY AND STRENGTHENING OF THE IMMUNE FUNCTION. THE ONLINE PLATFORMS PROVIDE A GOOD MEDIA FOR YOGA TRAINING AT WORK PLACES AND HOMES. CONCLUSION: DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING NORMS, THE AVAILABILITY OF YOGA TRAINERS HAS BECOME RESTRICTED. YOGA PRACTICE IS ACTIVELY SOUGHT TO ACHIEVE REDUCED ANXIETY AND STRESS SO THAT IMPROVED SLEEP MAY POSITIVELY IMPACT IMMUNITY. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THERE IS A SPURT IN SOCIAL MEDIA, CATERING TO DAILY ONLINE YOGA SESSIONS WHICH APPARENTLY PROVE USEFUL IN PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE MEANS TO ACHIEVE MENTAL AS WELL AS PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. 2020 4 1394 37 IMPACT OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH RETINOBLASTOMA. BACKGROUND: CHILDHOOD CANCERS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A PSYCHOLOGICAL BURDEN TO THE PARENTS AND HENCE, DECLINE THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AND OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE. PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENT STUDY IS TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF 12-WEEKS YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE PARENTS OF CHILDREN AFFECTED WITH RETINOBLASTOMA. METHOD: SINGLE ARM PROSPECTIVE CLINICAL TRIAL CONDUCTED FROM OCTOBER 2015 TO OCTOBER 2017 AT THE LABORATORY FOR MOLECULAR REPRODUCTION AND GENETICS, DEPARTMENT OF ANATOMY, ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, NEW DELHI, INDIA. A PRE-TESTED 12-WEEKS YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION INCLUDED ASANAS (PHYSICAL POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), DHYANA (MEDITATION), RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, LECTURES AND FILMS ON YOGA, INTERACTIVE SESSIONS AND INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE WAS ADMINISTERED TO THE PARTICIPANTS. RESULTS: 12-WEEKS OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAMME LEADS TO A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE PARENTS OF RETINOBLASTOMA PATIENTS. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN ALL THE DOMAINS (PHYSICAL HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH, SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND ENVIRONMENT) OF WHOQOL-BREF FROM BASELINE (DAY 0) TO 12-WEEKS OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION. YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ALSO LED TO A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE LEVELS OF BRAIN DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR, DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE SULPHATE, SIRTUIN 1 AND DECREASED THE CORTISOL AND IL-6 LEVELS. CONCLUSION: YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION REDUCED THE SEVERITY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND RESULTED IN IMPROVEMENT IN OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE AND UPREGULATION IN LEVELS OF SYSTEMIC BIOMARKERS OF NEUROPLASTICITY. YBLI MAY SERVE AS A BENEFICIAL THERAPY AND MAY ALSO ACT AS AN EFFECTIVE MEDIUM FOR BETTER STRESS MANAGEMENT TO DEVELOP BETTER COPING STRATEGIES IN THE PARENTS OF RETINOBLASTOMA PATIENTS. 2019 5 925 41 EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS IN BREAST CANCER-RELATED LYMPHEDEMA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. OBJECTIVES: TO SYNTHESIZE RECENT EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE ON YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER-RELATED LYMPHEDEMA. METHODS: WE SEARCHED THE PUBMED/MEDLINE, COCHRANE CENTRAL REGISTER OF CONTROLLED TRIALS AND EMBASE DATABASES FOR STUDIES PUBLISHED BETWEEN OCTOBER 2007 AND SEPTEMBER 2018 IN ANY LANGUAGE. RISK OF BIAS AND METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY WERE EVALUATED USING THE PRISMA STATEMENT AND CHECKLIST AND THE COCHRANE COLLABORATION TOOL. RESULTS: THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN LYMPHEDEMA STATUS, RANGE OF SHOULDER MOTION AND SPINAL MOBILITY AFTER AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION, WHEREAS THERE WAS NO CONSISTENCY IN QUALITY OF LIFE FOLLOWING YOGA INTERVENTION. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE IN LYMPHEDEMA STATUS, EXTRACELLULAR FLUID AND TISSUE RESISTANCE OUTCOMES IN THE AFFECTED ARM FOLLOWING A LONG-TERM YOGA PRACTICE. CONCLUSION: THE CURRENT FINDINGS COULD NOT BE CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED THAT YOGA PROGRAMME INTERVENTION AS AN ADDITION TO USUAL CARE IS SUPERIOR TO ALONG USUAL CARE, AND KEEP YOGA EXERCISE DOES NOT PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT ADDED BENEFITS. 2019 6 2422 47 YOGA AND MINDFULNESS AS THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS FOR STROKE REHABILITATION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. AIM. THIS PAPER REPORTS A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF THE EVIDENCE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BEHAVIORAL THERAPIES SUCH AS YOGA AND MINDFULNESS PRACTICES FOR STROKE REHABILITATION. BACKGROUND. THE EXPERIENCE OF STROKE CAN HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON BOTH PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AND ON QUALITY OF LIFE. YOGA AND RELEVANT PRACTICES ARE PROMISING THERAPIES THAT HAVE BEEN USED WITH PATIENTS WITH A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS. IN ORDER TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS ON EFFECTIVENESS FOR STROKE PATIENTS, THE EVIDENCE REQUIRES SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT. METHODS. A COMPREHENSIVE SEARCH OF MAJOR BIOMEDICAL AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE DATABASES WAS CONDUCTED. RELEVANT RESEARCH WAS CATEGORIZED BY STUDY TYPE AND APPRAISED ACCORDING TO STUDY DESIGN. RESULTS. FIVE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIALS AND FOUR SINGLE CASE STUDIES WERE FOUND. ADDITIONALLY, ONE QUALITATIVE RESEARCH STUDY WAS IDENTIFIED. STUDIES REPORTED POSITIVE RESULTS, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS IN COGNITION, MOOD, AND BALANCE AND REDUCTIONS IN STRESS. MODIFICATIONS TO DIFFERENT YOGA PRACTICES MAKE COMPARISON BETWEEN STUDIES DIFFICULT, AND A LACK OF CONTROLLED STUDIES PRECLUDES ANY FIRM CONCLUSIONS ON EFFICACY. CONCLUSION. YOGA AND MINDFULNESS COULD BE CLINICALLY VALUABLE SELF-ADMINISTERED INTERVENTION OPTIONS FOR STROKE REHABILITATION. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO EVALUATE THESE SPECIFIC PRACTICES AND THEIR SUITABILITY IN STROKE REHABILITATION. 2013 7 2848 47 YOGA, MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS IN PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY - A REVIEW OF LITERATURE. PURPOSE: CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR CANCER ARE EXPOSED TO A WIDE VARIETY OF STRESSORS BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL. NOT ONLY ADULTS BUT ALSO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS INCREASINGLY PRACTICE YOGA IN A HEALTH-PROMOTING MANNER AND TO COPE WITH STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. METHODS: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE WAS CONDUCTED TO PRESENT THE CURRENT OUTCOMES ON YOGA, MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WHO ARE AFFECTED BY AN ONCOLOGICAL DISEASE. RESULTS: EIGHT STUDIES WERE IDENTIFIED THAT EXAMINED YOGA TREATMENT FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ONCOLOGICAL DISEASES. THREE STUDIES WERE FOUND ON MINDFULNESS IN PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY. THE STUDIES SUMMARIZED HERE SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS COULD HELP TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, REDUCE FATIGUE, IMPROVE ACTIVITY AND FITNESS LEVELS, IMPROVE SLEEP QUALITY, INCREASE APPETITE AND DECREASE ANXIETY IN VARIOUS STAGES OF THE DISEASE AND ITS TREATMENT. THE REVIEWED STUDIES SHOWED THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ONCOLOGICAL ILLNESSES ARE FEASIBLE IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS AND ARE WELL RECEIVED. CONCLUSIONS: THE RESULTS OF THE STUDIES SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS MAY HELP TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS DURING AND AFTER ONCOLOGICAL TREATMENT. BASED ON THE CURRENT BODY OF EVIDENCE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE EFFICACY OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS IN PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY PATIENTS. RESEARCH MUST MEET THIS CHALLENGE TO DEVELOP SUITABLE DESIGNS TO FURTHER AND BETTER INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ONCOLOGICAL DISEASES. 2021 8 2684 45 YOGA IN THE PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY POPULATION: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE. BACKGROUND: THE PURPOSE OF THIS REVIEW WAS TO EVALUATE THE CURRENT BODY OF LITERATURE ON YOGA IN THE PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY POPULATION. CONSIDERING THE INCREASING NUMBER OF STUDIES ON YOGA INDICATING IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HRQL) AMONG THE ADULT ONCOLOGY POPULATION, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXPLORE WHETHER SIMILAR BENEFITS HAVE BEEN FOUND IN PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY PATIENTS. METHODS: CINAHL, OVID MEDLINE, PSYCINFO, PUBMED, AND SCOPUS WERE SEARCHED FROM THE YEARS 2010 THROUGH 2020 FOR STUDIES ASSESSING THE USE OF YOGA IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS AFFECTED BY CANCER. CONSIDERING THE BENEFITS OF YOGA ON HRQL IN THE ADULT ONCOLOGY POPULATION, THE AIM OF THIS REVIEW WAS TO EVALUATE THE CURRENT BODY OF LITERATURE ON YOGA IN THE PEDIATRIC CANCER POPULATION. RESULTS: EIGHT STUDIES, ALL NONRANDOMIZED WITH SINGLE-ARM DESIGNS, WERE REVIEWED. FIVE OF THE STUDIES WERE DESIGNED AS FEASIBILITY STUDIES AND WHILE RECRUITMENT RATES RANGED FROM 34% TO 55%, RETENTION RATES WERE APPROXIMATELY 70%. QUALITATIVE FEEDBACK FROM PARTICIPANTS WAS VERY POSITIVE AND THEMES RELATED TO BOTH PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS. CERTAIN MEASURES OF HRQL (I.E., ANXIETY, PAIN, AND PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING) WERE FOUND TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED FOLLOWING A YOGA INTERVENTION. DISCUSSION: ALTHOUGH NO RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED TO DATE ON THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC, THE STUDIES REVIEWED SHOWED THAT DELIVERING YOGA TO THIS POPULATION IS FEASIBLE AND SAFE. ADDITIONALLY, PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON THE IMPACT OF YOGA FOR SOME OF THE COMMON SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT-RELATED SIDE EFFECTS EXPERIENCED BY CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS AFFECTED BY CANCER ARE PROMISING. 2021 9 1767 36 POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF YOGA IN PREGNANCY-RELATED COMPLICATIONS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND IMPLICATIONS FOR WORKING WOMEN. BACKGROUND: PREGNANCY IS A VULNERABLE PERIOD OF GROWTH AND ENRICHMENT ALONG WITH MANY PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES. THESE CHANGES CAN LEAD TO COMPLICATIONS IF COMPOUNDED BY EXTERNAL STRESS AND ANXIETY. COVID-19 HAS EMERGED AS A CHIEF STRESSOR AMONG THE GENERAL POPULATION AND IS A SERIOUS THREAT AMONG VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THEREFORE, THERE IS A NEED FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT TOOLS, SUCH AS YOGA AND PHYSICAL EXERCISES, BOTH AT HOME AND AT WORK. THESE CAN BE ADOPTED DURING THE PANDEMIC WITH PROPER MAINTENANCE OF SOCIAL DISTANCING. OBJECTIVE: TO EVALUATE AND COMPILE LITERATURE THAT HAS REPORTED THE HEALTH OUTCOMES OF YOGA INTERVENTION ON PREGNANCY AT THE WORKPLACE AND ANALYZES BOTH THE RESTRICTIONS AS WELL AS ADVANTAGES OF ITS BENEFICIAL EFFECTS IN COMPARISON TO PHYSICAL EXERCISES. METHODOLOGY: A COMPREHENSIVE LITERATURE REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED UTILIZING PUBMED AND GOOGLE SCHOLAR. THE KEYWORDS USED FOR THE SEARCH INCLUDE "YOGA", "WORK", "COMPLICATIONS", "PHYSICAL EXERCISE", "DRUGS" AND "COVID" INDIFFERENT PERMUTATIONS AND COMBINATIONS WITH "PREGNANCY". WE COMPILED THE LITERATURE WITH RESPECT TO PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS AND THE EFFECTS OF DRUGS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND YOGA FOR PREVENTING THESE COMPLICATIONS. RESULTS: WE NOTED THAT PREGNANCY-RELATED COMPLICATIONS ARE BECOMING MORE PREVALENT BECAUSE OF A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE, RESTRICTED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND GROWING STRESS. IN SUCH SITUATIONS, A HOME OR WORKPLACE YOGA PROTOCOL CAN COMBINE BOTH EXERCISE AND MINDFULNESS-BASED ALLEVIATION OF ANXIETY FOR BOTH WORKING AND NON-WORKING WOMEN. CONCLUSION: YOGA CAN BE EFFECTIVE FOR COMBATING STRESS AND ANXIETY BESIDES BOOSTING IMMUNITY IN PREGNANT WORKING WOMEN CONFRONTED WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. 2020 10 2481 28 YOGA AS AN ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR CANCER: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. OBJECTIVES: CANCER IS AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN, WITH MILLIONS OF PATIENTS AFFECTED WORLDWIDE. GIVEN THE PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND PHYSIOLOGIC CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH CANCER, HOLISTIC THERAPIES ARE NEEDED TO TREAT ALL ASPECT OF THE DISEASE. DESIGN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFICACY OF YOGA AS A TREATMENT OPTION FOR CANCER SINCE 2010. INCLUDED STUDIES WERE PUBLISHED FROM JANUARY 2010 TO JULY 2012 AND WERE INDEXED IN MEDLINE, CINAHL, AND ALT HEALTHWATCH. RESULTS: THIRTEEN STUDIES MET THE INCLUSION CRITERIA. EIGHT OF THESE STUDIES WERE PERFORMED IN THE UNITED STATES, AND ONE EACH WAS CONDUCTED IN SLOVENIA, ITALY, THE UNITED KINGDOM, CANADA, AND TURKEY. CONCLUSIONS: THE EVIDENCE FOR EFFICACY OF YOGA AS AN ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR CANCER IS MIXED, ALTHOUGH GENERALLY POSITIVE. LIMITATIONS OF THE REVIEWED INTERVENTIONS INCLUDED A MIXED USE OF INSTRUMENTS, WEAK QUANTITATIVE DESIGNS, SMALL SAMPLE SIZES, AND A LACK OF THEORY-BASED STUDIES. 2013 11 836 41 EFFECT OF YOGA ON PATIENTS WITH CANCER: OUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING. OBJECTIVE: TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERAPEUTIC YOGA IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS WITH CANCER. DATA SOURCES: SEARCH OF MEDLINE DATABASE (1950-2010) USING KEY WORDS YOGA, CANCER, AND QUALITY OF LIFE. STUDY SELECTION: PRIORITY WAS GIVEN TO RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED CLINICAL STUDIES CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON TYPICAL SYMPTOMS OF PATIENTS WITH CANCER IN NORTH AMERICA. SYNTHESIS: INITIALLY, 4 RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED CLINICAL STUDIES WERE ANALYZED, THEN 2 STUDIES WITHOUT CONTROL GROUPS WERE ANALYZED. THREE STUDIES CONDUCTED IN INDIA AND THE NEAR EAST PROVIDED INTERESTING INFORMATION ON METHODOLOGIES. THE INTERVENTIONS INCLUDED YOGA SESSIONS OF VARYING LENGTH AND FREQUENCY. THE PARAMETERS MEASURED ALSO VARIED AMONG STUDIES. SEVERAL SYMPTOMS IMPROVED SUBSTANTIALLY WITH YOGA (HIGHER QUALITY OF SLEEP, DECREASE IN SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, IMPROVEMENT IN SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING, ETC). IT WOULD APPEAR THAT QUALITY OF LIFE, OR SOME ASPECTS THEREOF, ALSO IMPROVED. CONCLUSION: THE VARIETY OF BENEFITS DERIVED, THE ABSENCE OF SIDE EFFECTS, AND THE COST-BENEFIT RATIO OF THERAPEUTIC YOGA MAKE IT AN INTERESTING ALTERNATIVE FOR FAMILY PHYSICIANS TO SUGGEST TO THEIR PATIENTS WITH CANCER. CERTAIN METHODOLOGIC SHORTCOMINGS, INCLUDING THE LIMITED SIZE OF THE SAMPLES AND VARYING LEVELS OF ATTENDANCE ON THE PART OF THE SUBJECTS, MIGHT HAVE REDUCED THE STATISTICAL STRENGTH OF THE STUDIES PRESENTED. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE MEASUREMENT SCALES USED DID NOT SUIT THIS TYPE OF SITUATION AND PATIENT POPULATION, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT. HOWEVER, FAVOURABLE COMMENTS BY PARTICIPANTS DURING THE STUDIES AND THEIR LEVEL OF APPRECIATION AND WELL-BEING SUGGEST THAT FURTHER RESEARCH IS CALLED FOR TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISMS OF THESE EFFECTS. 2012 12 2157 30 THE EFFECTS OF UPPER LIMB EXERCISE THROUGH YOGA ON LIMB SWELLING IN CHINESE BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS - A PILOT STUDY. PURPOSE: BREAST CANCER IS THE MOST COMMON FEMALE CANCER. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON LYMPHEDEMA IN BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS. DESIGN: REPEATED MEASURES BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION. WE ENROLLED 15 WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER WHO HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY WORN ELASTIC CLOTHING TO TREAT LYMPHEDEMA. METHODS: THE PROGRAM WAS LED BY A CERTIFIED TRAINER AND CONSISTED OF 60-MINUTE SESSIONS, THREE TIMES A WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS. THE VOLUMES OF THE AFFECTED AND NORMAL LIMBS WERE MEASURED. A SELF-ASSESSED EDEMA SCORE WAS ALSO RECORDED. FINDINGS: FIFTEEN PATIENTS COMPLETED THE PROGRAM, NONE OF WHOM SUFFERED FROM COMPLICATIONS RELATED TO EXERCISE. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT EDEMA AFTER EXERCISE. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES WERE NOTED IN SUBGROUP ANALYSIS BY AGE OR THE AFFECTED ARM. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA DOES NOT INDUCE LYMPHEDEMA. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: LYMPHEDEMA IS USUALLY TREATED WITH UNCOMFORTABLE ELASTIC CLOTHING, AND HIGH-RESISTANCE EXERCISE MAY INDUCE EDEMA. YOGA MAY BE SUITABLE FOR THESE PATIENTS. 2017 13 2170 34 THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON ANXIETY AND STRESS. STRESS AND ANXIETY HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED AS CONTRIBUTORS TO MANY CHRONIC DISEASES AND TO DECREASED QUALITY OF LIFE, EVEN WITH PHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT. EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO FIND NON-PHARMACOLOGIC THERAPIES TO RELIEVE STRESS AND ANXIETY, AND YOGA IS ONE OPTION FOR WHICH RESULTS ARE PROMISING. THE FOCUS OF THIS REVIEW IS ON THE RESULTS OF HUMAN TRIALS ASSESSING THE ROLE OF YOGA IN IMPROVING THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY. OF 35 TRIALS ADDRESSING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON ANXIETY AND STRESS, 25 NOTED A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN STRESS AND/OR ANXIETY SYMPTOMS WHEN A YOGA REGIMEN WAS IMPLEMENTED; HOWEVER, MANY OF THE STUDIES WERE ALSO HINDERED BY LIMITATIONS, SUCH AS SMALL STUDY POPULATIONS, LACK OF RANDOMIZATION, AND LACK OF A CONTROL GROUP. FOURTEEN OF THE 35 STUDIES REPORTED BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY, BUT YIELDED INCONSISTENT SUPPORT OF YOGA FOR RELIEF OF STRESS AND ANXIETY. EVALUATION OF THE CURRENT PRIMARY LITERATURE IS SUGGESTIVE OF BENEFITS OF YOGA IN RELIEVING STRESS AND ANXIETY, BUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THIS RELATIONSHIP USING LARGE, WELL-DEFINED POPULATIONS, ADEQUATE CONTROLS, RANDOMIZATION AND LONG DURATION SHOULD BE EXPLORED BEFORE RECOMMENDING YOGA AS A TREATMENT OPTION. 2012 14 2516 20 YOGA CLINICAL RESEARCH REVIEW. IN THIS PAPER RECENT RESEARCH IS REVIEWED ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA POSES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS INCLUDING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, ON PAIN SYNDROMES, CARDIOVASCULAR, AUTOIMMUNE AND IMMUNE CONDITIONS AND ON PREGNANCY. FURTHER, THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF YOGA INCLUDING DECREASED HEARTRATE AND BLOOD PRESSURE AND THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS INCLUDING WEIGHT LOSS AND INCREASED MUSCLE STRENGTH ARE REVIEWED. FINALLY, POTENTIAL UNDERLYING MECHANISMS ARE PROPOSED INCLUDING THE STIMULATION OF PRESSURE RECEPTORS LEADING TO ENHANCED VAGAL ACTIVITY AND REDUCED CORTISOL. THE REDUCTION IN CORTISOL, IN TURN, MAY CONTRIBUTE TO POSITIVE EFFECTS SUCH AS ENHANCED IMMUNE FUNCTION AND A LOWER PREMATURITY RATE. 2011 15 1574 48 MANAGING LYMPHEDEMA, INCREASING RANGE OF MOTION, AND QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH YOGA THERAPY AMONG BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. LYMPHEDEMA IS A COMMON COMPLICATION OF BREAST CANCER TREATMENT. YOGA IS A NONCONVENTIONAL AND NONINVASIVE INTERVENTION THAT IS REPORTED TO SHOW BENEFICIAL EFFECTS IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER-RELATED LYMPHEDEMA (BCRL). THIS STUDY ATTEMPTED TO SYSTEMATICALLY REVIEW THE EFFECT OF YOGA THERAPY ON MANAGING LYMPHEDEMA, INCREASING THE RANGE OF MOTION (ROM), AND QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) AMONG BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS. THE REVIEW SEARCH INCLUDED STUDIES FROM ELECTRONIC BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASES, NAMELY MEDLINE (PUBMED), EMBASE, AND GOOGLE SCHOLAR TILL JUNE 2019. STUDIES WHICH ASSESSED THE OUTCOME VARIABLES SUCH AS QOL AND MANAGEMENT OF LYMPHEDEMA OR RELATED PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS AS EFFECT OF YOGA INTERVENTION WERE CONSIDERED FOR REVIEW. TWO AUTHORS INDIVIDUALLY REVIEWED, SELECTED ACCORDING TO COCHRANE GUIDELINES, AND EXTRACTED THE ARTICLES USING COVIDENCE SOFTWARE. SCREENING PROCESS OF THIS REVIEW RESULTED IN A TOTAL OF SEVEN STUDIES. THE DIFFERENT STYLES OF YOGA EMPLOYED IN THE STUDIES WERE IYENGAR YOGA (N = 2), SATYANANDA YOGA (N = 2), HATHA YOGA (N = 2), AND ASHTANGA YOGA (N = 1). THE LENGTH OF INTERVENTION AND POST INTERVENTION ANALYSIS RANGED FROM 8 WEEKS TO 12 MONTHS. FOUR STUDIES INCLUDED HOME PRACTICE SESSIONS. QOL, ROM, AND MUSCULOSKELETAL SYMPTOMS SHOWED IMPROVEMENT IN ALL THE STUDIES. YOGA COULD BE A SAFE AND FEASIBLE EXERCISE INTERVENTION FOR BCRL PATIENTS. EVIDENCE GENERATED FROM THESE STUDIES WAS OF MODERATE STRENGTH. FURTHER LONG-TERM CLINICAL TRIALS WITH LARGE SAMPLE SIZE ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND STANDARDIZATION OF YOGA INTERVENTION GUIDELINES FOR BCRL PATIENTS. 2021 16 1895 30 RESILIENT TO PAIN: A MODEL OF HOW YOGA MAY DECREASE INTERFERENCE AMONG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING CHRONIC PAIN. CHRONIC MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DISABILITY GLOBALLY, YET FOR THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE CHRONIC PAIN, IT DOES NOT SERIOUSLY DISABLE THEM OR INTERFERE WITH THEIR LIFE. PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE SEVERE PAIN YET LOW DISABILITY DISPLAY A RESILIENT COURSE OF PAIN. YOGA HAS BEEN SHOWN TO DECREASE DISABILITY AMONG PEOPLE WITH PAIN, BUT IT IS NOT KNOWN HOW. BECAUSE EVEN THE MOST BASIC YOGA PRACTICES POSSESS MANY OF THE COMPONENTS THOUGHT TO BE IMPORTANT IN FOSTERING RESILIENCE, YOGA IS A PROMISING MEANS OF IMPROVING RESILIENCE AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC PAIN. A VALIDATED CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF HOW THE EXPERIENCE OF CHRONIC PAIN IS AFFECTED BY YOGA IS NEEDED TO GUIDE A FUTURE RESEARCH AGENDA AND IDENTIFY POTENTIAL TARGETS FOR CHRONIC PAIN INTERVENTION. ULTIMATELY, AN EXPLANATORY MODEL COULD GUIDE THE OPTIMIZATION OF YOGA AND OTHER NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPIES FOR THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC PAIN. I PRESENT A TESTABLE MODEL. 2019 17 1927 33 ROLE OF YOGA IN CARDIAC DISEASE AND REHABILITATION. PURPOSE: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE CONTINUES TO BE THE LEADING CAUSE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY AROUND THE WORLD. YOGA, A COMBINATION OF PHYSICAL POSTURES (ASANA), BREATHING EXERCISES (PRANAYAMA), AND MEDITATION (DHYANA), HAS GAINED INCREASING RECOGNITION AS A FORM OF MIND-BODY EXERCISE. IN THIS NARRATIVE REVIEW, WE INTENDED TO REVIEW THE EMERGING EVIDENCE ASSESSING THE PHYSIOLOGIC AND CLINICAL EFFECTS OF YOGA ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM AND THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF YOGA AS A COMPONENT OF COMPREHENSIVE CARDIAC REHABILITATION. METHODS: WE SEARCHED PUBMED, GOOGLE SCHOLAR, EMBASE, AND COCHRANE DATABASES FOR LITERATURE RELATED TO CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS OF YOGA FROM INCEPTION UP UNTIL 2017. RESULTS: YOGA HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE FAVORABLE EFFECTS ON SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION, STRESS, THE CARDIAC AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM, AND TRADITIONAL AND EMERGING CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA HAS SHOWN PROMISE AS A USEFUL LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE MANAGEMENT ALGORITHMS. ALTHOUGH MANY INVESTIGATORS HAVE REPORTED THE CLINICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA IN REDUCING CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS, MORBIDITY, AND MORTALITY, EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THESE CONCLUSIONS IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED, THEREBY EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR LARGE, WELL-DESIGNED RANDOMIZED TRIALS THAT MINIMIZE BIAS AND METHODOLOGICAL DRAWBACKS. 2019 18 2023 42 SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF YOGA FOR SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT DURING CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT OF BREAST CANCER PATIENTS. INTRODUCTION: BREAST CANCER IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMONLY DIAGNOSED CANCERS IN WOMEN IN THE US, AND ITS TREATMENTS HAVE SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SIDE EFFECTS AND LONG-TERM COMPLICATIONS CAUSING SIGNIFICANT MORBIDITY AND DECREASED QUALITY OF LIFE. INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE MODALITIES, SUCH AS YOGA, HAVE BEEN FOUND TO REDUCE SIDE EFFECTS OF CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH THE TREATMENT ITSELF AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE. IN THIS SYSTEMATIC REVIEW, WE SPECIFICALLY EXPLORED YOGA AS A POTENTIAL OPTION FOR SYMPTOMATIC MANAGEMENT IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CONVENTIONAL BREAST CANCER TREATMENTS. METHODS: WE PERFORMED A LITERATURE SEARCH THAT WAS CONDUCTED TO INCLUDE THE DATABASES PUBMED, PSYCHINFO, COCHRANE LIBRARY, SCOPUS, AND CINAHL, RESULTING IN 28 RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL (RCT) ARTICLES. WE REVIEW THE RESULTS OF THESE TRIALS REGARDING THE IMPACT OF YOGA IN THIS PATIENT POPULATION. RESULTS: OVERALL, THE MAJORITY OF THE RCT ARTICLES SHOWED SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS OF YOGA INTERVENTION IN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF QUALITY OF LIFE, FATIGUE, NAUSEA/VOMITING, SLEEP QUALITY, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND DISTRESS. THERE ARE SEVERAL STUDIES THAT HAVE EXPLORED THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISM BEHIND THE EFFECTS OF YOGA AND FOUND THAT YOGA AFFECTS BOTH THE IMMUNE RESPONSE AND INFLAMMATION. DISCUSSION: THESE STUDIES REVEALED THAT YOGA HAS A POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC ROLE IN THE SYMPTOMATIC MANAGEMENT OF BREAST CANCER PATIENTS, ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE DURING TREATMENT AS WELL AS IMPROVING ADHERENCE TO TREATMENT. FUTURE STUDIES WITH MORE DEFINED AND CONSISTENT METHODOLOGIES ARE NECESSARY TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL USE OF YOGA THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER. 2022 19 2486 45 YOGA AS AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH FOR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF ORAL CANCER. DESPITE TREMENDOUS ADVANCEMENTS IN MEDICINE, THE NUMBER OF ORAL CANCER CASES CONTINUES TO INCREASE, AND THE NEED FOR INTEGRATING ALTERNATE MEDICINE OR ADOPTING AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH HAS BECOME A COMPELLING COST-EFFECTIVE REQUIREMENT FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF DISEASES. CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT OF ORAL CANCER INVOLVES SURGERY FOLLOWED BY RADIOTHERAPY WITH OR WITHOUT CHEMOTHERAPY WHICH CAUSES SEVERAL COMPLICATIONS INCLUDING POOR QUALITY OF LIFE AND HIGH CHANCES OF RECURRENCE OF CANCER. ORAL CANCER IS OFTEN LINKED WITH OBESITY WHICH IS MAJOR RISK FACTORS IN OTHER CANCERS. APART FROM OBESITY, ORAL CANCER IS THOUGHT TO HAVE AN INVERSE RELATION WITH NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS PRESUMABLY BECAUSE CELL DEATH DECREASES IN THE FORMER CASE AND INCREASES IN THE LATTER. ANCIENT MIND-BODY TECHNIQUES SUCH AS YOGA HAVE NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY TESTED AS A TOOL TO SYNERGIZE THE CELLULAR EQUILIBRIUM PERTAINING TO THE TREATMENT OF ORAL CANCER. NERVE GROWTH FACTOR (NGF), TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-ALPHA (TNF-ALPHA), AND INTERLEUKIN-6 (IL-6) ARE AMONG THE EARLY EXPERIMENTAL CELLULAR BIOMARKERS THAT MAY BE USED TO PROBE THE MODULATION OF ORAL CANCER, OBESITY, AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS. YOGA HAS BEEN REPORTED TO INFLUENCE THESE MOLECULES IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS BUT WHETHER THEIR EXPRESSION CAN BE ALTERED IN PATIENTS OF ORAL CANCER BY YOGA INTERVENTION IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS RESEARCH BEING DISCUSSED IN THIS REVIEW ARTICLE. THEREFORE, THE PRESENT ARTICLE NOT ONLY REVIEWS THE CURRENT STATUS OF RESEARCH STUDIES IN ORAL CANCER, OBESITY, AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS BUT ALSO HOW THESE ARE LINKED TO EACH OTHER AND WHY THE INVESTIGATIONS OF THE PUTATIVE NGF PATHWAY, INVOLVING TNF-ALPHA AND IL-6, COULD PROVIDE USEFUL CLUES TO UNDERSTAND THE MOLECULAR EFFECTS BROUGHT ABOUT BY YOGA INTERVENTION IN SUCH PATIENTS. 2018 20 2141 44 THE EFFECTS OF GROUP-BASED LAUGHTER YOGA INTERVENTIONS ON MENTAL HEALTH IN ADULTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: LAUGHTER YOGA IS CLAIMED TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AND HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR WORLDWIDE. THERE HAS BEEN NO SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF LAUGHTER YOGA INTERVENTION STUDIES AND THUS EVIDENCE OF ITS EFFECTS ON MENTAL HEALTH IS UNCLEAR. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: LAUGHTER YOGA INTERVENTIONS IMPROVED DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN TWO STUDIES OVER THE SHORT TERM. THERE IS A LACK OF GOOD QUALITY EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT LAUGHTER YOGA IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN OTHER GROUP-BASED INTERVENTIONS IN IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: WELL-CONDUCTED AND CLEARLY REPORTED TRIALS OF LAUGHTER YOGA ARE NEEDED BEFORE THE INTERVENTION CAN BE CONSIDERED AS AN EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH. ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION LAUGHTER YOGA IS CLAIMED TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AND IS INCREASINGLY POPULAR WORLDWIDE. DESPITE ITS POPULARITY, THERE HAS BEEN NO SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF LAUGHTER YOGA INTERVENTION STUDIES AND THUS EVIDENCE OF ITS EFFECTS ON MENTAL HEALTH IS UNCLEAR. AIM THIS REVIEW AIMED TO CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF GROUP-BASED LAUGHTER YOGA ON IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH IN ADULTS. METHOD WE CONDUCTED A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES (PUBLISHED FROM 1995 TO 2017). STUDY QUALITY WAS ASSESSED, THE EFFECT SIZES FOR INDIVIDUAL MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES WERE CALCULATED AND ALL REVIEWED STUDIES WERE NARRATIVELY SYNTHESIZED. RESULTS SIX EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES WITH INCONSISTENT RESULTS WERE INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW. THE MOST PROMISING EFFECT OF LAUGHTER YOGA IS THE IMPROVEMENT OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, INDICATING SIGNIFICANT MEDIUM-LARGE EFFECT SIZES IN TWO STUDIES OVER THE SHORT TERM. THE OVERALL LEVEL OF EVIDENCE WAS WEAK DUE TO POOR STUDY QUALITY AND RISKS OF BIAS. DISCUSSION LAUGHTER YOGA SHOWS POTENTIAL, BUT CURRENTLY THERE IS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER GROUP-BASED INTERVENTIONS. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE THIS REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED TO CONDUCT RIGOROUS TRIALS OF LAUGHTER YOGA BEFORE THE INTERVENTION CAN BE CONSIDERED AS AN EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH. 2018