1 2142 135 THE EFFECTS OF HOT YOGA ON KIDNEY FUNCTION: AN OBSERVATIONAL PILOT AND FEASIBILITY STUDY. YOGA HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE HEALTH BENEFITS, WHEREAS EXERCISING IN A HOT ENVIRONMENT HAS DELETERIOUS EFFECTS ON KIDNEY FUNCTION. THERE ARE NO LONG-TERM STUDIES ON THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF HOT YOGA. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE CHANGES IN RENAL FUNCTION ACUTELY AND OVER TIME BETWEEN PRACTITIONERS OF HOT AND NON-HOT YOGA. URINE AND CAPILLARY SAMPLES WERE COLLECTED FOR URINALYSIS, ALBUMIN-CREATININE RATIO, AND SERUM CREATININE AT YOGA STUDIOS PREAND POSTEXERCISE OVER 1 YEAR. THIRTY-TWO PARTICIPANTS IN NON-HOT YOGA AND 19 PARTICIPANTS IN HOT YOGA WERE RECRUITED. DIFFERENCE IN BLOOD CAPILLARY CREATININE (POST-YOGA MINUS PRE-YOGA) SHOWED A 7.52 MUMOL/L (SD 11.46) INCREASE FOR PRACTITIONERS OF HOT YOGA AND A 4.07 MUMOL/L (SD 9.94) INCREASE FOR PRACTITIONERS OF NON-HOT YOGA, WITH A BETWEEN-GROUP DIFFERENCE OF 3.45 MUMOL/L (95% CI -0.42, 7.32; P = 0.08). OVER 1 YEAR, THE MEAN DIFFERENCE IN BLOOD CAPILLARY CREATININE FOR THE HOT GROUP INCREASED BY 0.91 MUMOL/L (SD 11.00) AND BY 3.08 MUMOL/L (SD 9.96) FOR THE NON-HOT GROUP, WITH A BETWEEN-GROUP DIFFERENCE OF -2.17 MUMOL/L (95% CI -10.20, 5.86; P = 0.58). OVER 1 YEAR, THE MEAN DIFFERENCE IN ALBUMIN-CREATININE RATIO FOR THE HOT GROUP WAS -0.16 MG/MMOL CREATININE (SD = 0.74); FOR THE NON-HOT GROUP THE DIFFERENCE WAS -0.20 MG/MUMOL (SD = 0.80). THE DIFFERENCE IN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOT AND NON-HOT GROUPS WAS 0.04 MG/MUMOL (95% CI -0.60, 0.68; P = 0.90). URINE COLLECTED FOR URINALYSIS COULD NOT BE ANALYZED DUE TO TOO MANY 0 VALUES. THIS PRAGMATIC OBSERVATIONAL STUDY DID NOT FIND A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN RENAL FUNCTION BETWEEN PARTICIPANTS IN NON-HOT AND HOT YOGA EITHER ACUTELY OR OVER 1 YEAR. A LARGER AND LONGER STUDY FOCUSING ON BLOOD CREATININE OVER TIME WOULD HELP TO INFORM THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF HOT YOGA ON THE KIDNEYS. 2022 2 2870 24 YOGA-BASED PULMONARY REHABILITATION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF DYSPNEA IN COAL MINERS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: COAL MINE DUST EXPOSURE CAUSES CHRONIC AIRFLOW LIMITATION IN COAL MINERS RESULTING IN DYSPNEA, FATIGUE, AND EVENTUALLY CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD). YOGA CAN ALLEVIATE DYSPNEA IN COPD BY IMPROVING VENTILATORY MECHANICS, REDUCING CENTRAL NEURAL DRIVE, AND PARTIALLY RESTORING NEUROMECHANICAL COUPLING OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. OBJECTIVES: TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTEGRATED APPROACH OF YOGA THERAPY (IAYT) IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DYSPNEA AND FATIGUE IN COAL MINERS WITH COPD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: RANDOMIZED, WAITLIST CONTROLLED, SINGLE-BLIND CLINICAL TRIAL. EIGHTY-ONE COAL MINERS (36-60 YEARS) WITH STABLE STAGES II AND III COPD WERE RECRUITED. THE YOGA GROUP RECEIVED AN IAYT MODULE FOR COPD THAT INCLUDED ASANAS, LOOSENING EXERCISES, BREATHING PRACTICES, PRANAYAMA, CYCLIC MEDITATION, YOGIC COUNSELING AND LECTURES 90 MIN/DAY, 6 DAYS/WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS. MEASUREMENTS OF DYSPNEA AND FATIGUE ON THE BORG SCALE, EXERCISE CAPACITY BY THE 6 MIN WALK TEST, PERIPHERAL CAPILLARY OXYGEN SATURATION (SPO2%), AND PULSE RATE (PR) USING PULSE OXIMETRY WERE MADE BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION. RESULTS: STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT WITHIN GROUP REDUCTIONS IN DYSPNEA (P < 0.001), FATIGUE (P < 0.001) SCORES, PR (P < 0.001), AND SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN SPO2% (P < 0.001) AND 6 MIN WALK DISTANCE (P < 0.001) WERE OBSERVED IN THE YOGA GROUP; ALL EXCEPT THE LAST WERE SIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO CONTROLS (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: FINDINGS INDICATE THAT IAYT BENEFITS COAL MINERS WITH COPD, REDUCING DYSPNEA; FATIGUE AND PR, AND IMPROVING FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE AND PERIPHERAL CAPILLARY SPO2%. YOGA CAN NOW BE INCLUDED AS AN ADJUNCT TO CONVENTIONAL THERAPY FOR PULMONARY REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FOR COPD PATIENTS. 2016 3 821 20 EFFECT OF YOGA ON EXERCISE TOLERANCE IN NORMAL HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS. TWELVE NORMAL HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS (6 MALES AND 6 FEMALES) UNDERGOING YOGA TRAINING FOR 90 DAYS WERE STUDIED FOR THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON EXERCISE TOLERANCE. THEIR AGES RANGED FROM 18 TO 28 YEARS. THE VOLUNTEERS WERE TAUGHT ONLY PRANAYAMA FOR THE FIRST 20 DAYS AND LATER ON YOGIC ASANAS WERE ADDED. SUB-MAXIMAL EXERCISE TOLERANCE TEST WAS DONE ON A MOTORIZED TREADMILL BY USING BALKE'S MODIFIED PROTOCOL, INITIALLY, AFTER 20 DAYS (PHASE-I) AND AFTER 90 DAYS OF YOGA TRAINING (PHASE-II). PYRUVATE AND LACTATE IN VENOUS BLOOD AND BLOOD GASES IN CAPILLARY BLOOD WERE ESTIMATED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER THE EXERCISE. MINUTE VENTILATION AND OXYGEN CONSUMPTION WERE ESTIMATED BEFORE AND DURING THE TEST. POST EXERCISE BLOOD LACTATE WAS ELEVATED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING INITIAL AND PHASE-I, BUT NOT IN PHASE-II. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF MINUTE VENTILATION AND OXYGEN CONSUMPTION ONLY IN MALES IN PHASE-I AND II AT THE TIME WHEN THE VOLUNTEERS REACHED THEIR 80% OF THE PREDICTED HEART RATE. FEMALE VOLUNTEERS WERE ABLE TO GO TO HIGHER LOADS OF EXERCISE IN PHASE-I AND II. 1986 4 138 22 A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE ROLE OF YOGA ASANAS ON OXIDATIVE STRESS IN NON-INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETES MELLITUS. NINETEEN SUBJECTS OF NON-INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETES MELLITUS (NIDDM) BETWEEN THE AGE GROUP OF 30-60 YRS WERE STUDIED TO SEE THE EFFECT OF SPECIFIC YOGA ASANAS ON FASTING AND POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE (FBG, PPG), SERUM MALONDIALDEHYDE (MDA) AND GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN (HBA(1)) IN ADDITION TO DRUG TREATMENT AND DIET CONTROL. THE DURATION OF DIABETES RANGED FROM 1-10 YEARS. PATIENTS WITH RENAL, CARDIAC AND PROLIFERATIVE RETINAL DISEASES WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE STUDY. THE SAME PATIENTS SERVED AS THEIR OWN CONTROL. SUBJECTS WERE CALLED IN THE MORNING TO THE CARDIO-RESPIRATORY LABORATORY AND WERE GIVEN TRAINING BY A YOGA EXPERT. YOGA ASANAS INCLUDED SURYANAMSKAR, TADASAN, TRIKONASAN, PADMASAN, PRANAYAM, PASCHIMOTTANASAN, ARDHMATSYENDRASAN, PAVANMUKTHASAN, SARPASAN AND SHAVASAN. THE ASANAS WERE DONE EVERY DAY FOR 40 DAYS FOR 30-40 MIN. FBG, PPG, SERUM MDA AND HBA(1) WERE ESTIMATED BEFORE AND AFTER 40 DAYS OF YOGA ASANAS REGIMEN. SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION WAS SEEN IN FBG FROM 220 MG/DL TO 162 MG/DL, PPG FROM 311 MG/DL TO 255 MG/DL, MDA FROM 6 NMOL/L TO 3 NMOL/L AND HBA(1), FROM 8.8% TO 6.4%. SUBJECTS FELT BETTER AND WERE RELIEVED OF THEIR STRESSES AND HAD AN IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR DAY TO DAY PERFORMANCE. THE DECREASE WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT (P<0.0001 FOR FBG AND PPG, P<0.001 FOR MDA AND FOR HBA(1)). 2001 5 2056 25 THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF YOGA IN DIABETES. TWENTY NIDDM SUBJECTS (MILD TO MODERATE DIABETICS) IN THE AGE GROUP OF 30-60 YEARS WERE SELECTED FROM THE OUT PATIENT CLINIC OF G.T.B. HOSPITAL. THEY WERE ON A 40 DAYS YOGA ASANA REGIME UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A YOGA EXPERT. 13 SPECIFIC YOGA ASANAS < OR = DONE BY TYPE 2 DIABETES PATIENTS INCLUDED. SURYA NAMASKAR, TRIKONASANA, TADASANA, SUKHASANA, PADMASANA, BHASTRIKA PRANAYAMA, PASHIMOTTANASANA, ARDHMATSYENDRASANA, PAWANMUKTASANA, BHUJANGASANA, VAJRASANA, DHANURASANA AND SHAVASANA ARE BENEFICIAL FOR DIABETES MELLITUS. SERUM INSULIN, PLASMA FASTING AND ONE HOUR POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS AND ANTHROPOMETRIC PARAMETERS WERE MEASURED BEFORE AND AFTER YOGA ASANAS. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN FASTING GLUCOSE LEVELS FROM BASAL 208.3 +/- 20.0 TO 171.7 +/- 19.5 MG/DL AND ONE HOUR POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS DECREASED FROM 295.3 +/- 22.0 TO 269.7 +/- 19.9 MG/DL. THE EXACT MECHANISM AS TO HOW THESE POSTURES AND CONTROLLED BREATHING INTERACT WITH SOMATOENDOCRINE MECHANISM AFFECTING INSULIN KINETICS WAS WORKED OUT. A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN WAIST-HIP RATIO AND CHANGES IN INSULIN LEVELS WERE ALSO OBSERVED, SUGGESTING A POSITIVE EFFECT OF YOGA ASANAS ON GLUCOSE UTILISATION AND FAT REDISTRIBUTION IN NIDDM. YOGA ASANAS MAY BE USED AS AN ADJUNCT WITH DIET AND DRUGS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES. 2005 6 1366 30 IMPACT OF A 10 MINUTE SEATED YOGA PRACTICE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES. OBJECTIVE: WE SOUGHT TO PROSPECTIVELY EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF A 10 MINUTE SEATED YOGA PROGRAM ADDED TO STANDARD COMPREHENSIVE DIABETES CARE ON GLUCOSE CONTROL AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH IN THE SEVERELY ILL, MEDICALLY COMPLEX DIABETIC POPULATION. METHOD: A TOTAL OF 10 PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES, AGES 49-77, WITH DURATION OF DIABETES >10 YEARS AND HAEMOGLOBIN A1C >9% (75 MMOL/MOL) WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. PATIENTS RANDOMIZED TO A YOGA INTERVENTION WERE TAUGHT A 10 MINUTE SEATED YOGA PRACTICE, WERE GIVEN AN EXPLANATORY DVD AND A FOLD-OUT POCKET GUIDE TO ENCOURAGE ADHERENCE AT HOME, AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO INCORPORATE THE PRACTICE AS OFTEN AS THEY COULD. THE PATIENTS IN THE CONTROL ARM WERE PROVIDED INFORMATION AND HAND OUTS ON THE AVAILABLE YOGA CLASSES ON CAMPUS. RESULTS: AT 3 MONTH CLINICAL FOLLOW UP, THE MEAN DECREASE IN FASTING CAPILLARY BLOOD GLUCOSE (CBG) WAS 45% AMONG YOGA PARTICIPANTS (-5.2 +/- 4.1 MMOL/L). HEART RATE (HR) DROPPED BY 18% AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (BP) DROPPED BY 29% IN THE INTERVENTION ARM, (-12.4 +/- 6.69 AND -26 +/- 12.05 MMHG, RESPECTIVELY). THERE WERE NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE HAEMOGLOBIN A1C, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, WEIGHT, OR BODY MASS INDEX IN EITHER GROUP. CONCLUSION: OUR SMALL PILOT STUDY REINFORCES THE CURRENT MEDICAL EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THE USE OF YOGA, COMBINED WITH STANDARD CARE, TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES IN DIABETES. 2016 7 2145 23 THE EFFECTS OF MINDFULNESS EATING AND YOGA EXERCISE ON BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS OF PREGNANT WOMEN WITH GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS. AIM: THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL WAS CARRIED OUT TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF MINDFULNESS EATING AND YOGA EXERCISE ON BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS AMONG PREGNANT THAI WOMEN WITH GDM. BACKGROUND: INTERVENTIONS PROMOTING ACHIEVEMENT OF GOOD GLYCEMIC CONTROL RESULT IN DESIRED PREGNANCY OUTCOMES. LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF MINDFULNESS EATING AND YOGA EXERCISE ON BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS AMONG PREGNANT WITH GDM. METHODS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL WAS CARRIED OUT. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES WERE CAPILLARY FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, 2-H POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE, AND HEMOGLOBIN A1C. RESULTS: THE INTERVENTION GROUP SHOWED SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, 2-H POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE, AND GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN (HBA1C) IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MINDFULNESS EATING AND YOGA EXERCISE HAD HEALTH BENEFITS ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH GDM. IT SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED IN CLINICAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES. 2014 8 717 20 EFFECT OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY ON PAIN, MORNING STIFFNESS AND ANXIETY IN OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE JOINT: A RANDOMIZED CONTROL STUDY. AIM: TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF INTEGRATED YOGA ON PAIN, MORNING STIFFNESS AND ANXIETY IN OSTEOARTHRITIS OF KNEES. MATERIALS AND METHODS: TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY PARTICIPANTS WITH OA KNEES (35-80 YEARS) WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO YOGA OR CONTROL GROUP. BOTH GROUPS HAD TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL STIMULATION AND ULTRASOUND TREATMENT FOLLOWED BY INTERVENTION (40 MIN) FOR TWO WEEKS WITH FOLLOW UP FOR THREE MONTHS. THE INTEGRATED YOGA CONSISTED OF YOGIC LOOSENING AND STRENGTHENING PRACTICES, ASANAS, RELAXATION, PRANAYAMA AND MEDITATION. THE CONTROL GROUP HAD PHYSIOTHERAPY EXERCISES. ASSESSMENTS WERE DONE ON 15(TH) (POST 1) AND 90(TH) DAY (POST 2). RESULTS: RESTING PAIN (NUMERICAL RATING SCALE) REDUCED BETTER (P<0.001, MANN-WHITNEY U TEST) IN YOGA GROUP (POST 1=33.6% AND POST 2=71.8%) THAN CONTROL GROUP (POST 1=13.4% AND POST 2=37.5%). MORNING STIFFNESS DECREASED MORE (P<0.001) IN YOGA (POST 1=68.6% AND POST 2=98.1%) THAN CONTROL GROUP (POST 1=38.6% AND POST 2=71.6%). STATE ANXIETY (STAI-1) REDUCED (P<0.001) BY 35.5% (POST 1) AND 58.4% (POST 2) IN THE YOGA GROUP AND 15.6% (POST 1) AND 38.8% (POST 2) IN THE CONTROL GROUP; TRAIT ANXIETY (STAI 2) REDUCED (P<0.001) BETTER (POST 1=34.6% AND POST 2=57.10%) IN YOGA THAN CONTROL GROUP (POST 1=14.12% AND POST 2=34.73%). SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCED (P<0.001) BETTER IN YOGA GROUP (POST 1=-7.93% AND POST 2=-15.7%) THAN THE CONTROL GROUP (POST 1=-1.8% AND POST 2=-3.8%). DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCED (P<0.001) BETTER IN YOGA GROUP (POST 1=-7.6% AND POST 2=-16.4%) THAN THE CONTROL GROUP (POST 1=-2.1% AND POST 2=-5.0%). PULSE RATE REDUCED (P<0.001) BETTER IN YOGA GROUP (POST 1=-8.41% AND POST 2=-12.4%) THAN THE CONTROL GROUP (POST 1=-5.1% AND POST 2=-7.1%). CONCLUSION: INTEGRATED APPROACH OF YOGA THERAPY IS BETTER THAN PHYSIOTHERAPY EXERCISES AS AN ADJUNCT TO TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL STIMULATION AND ULTRASOUND TREATMENT IN REDUCING PAIN, MORNING STIFFNESS, STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY, BLOOD PRESSURE AND PULSE RATE IN PATIENTS WITH OA KNEES. 2012 9 885 22 EFFECT OF YOGA TRAINING ON REACTION TIME, RESPIRATORY ENDURANCE AND MUSCLE STRENGTH. THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IMPROVES PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PERFORMANCE. THE PRESENT INVESTIGATION WAS UNDERTAKEN TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF YOGA TRAINING ON VISUAL AND AUDITORY REACTION TIMES (RTS), MAXIMUM EXPIRATORY PRESSURE (MEP), MAXIMUM INSPIRATORY PRESSURE (MIP), 40 MMHG TEST, BREATH HOLDING TIME AFTER EXPIRATION (BHTEXP), BREATH HOLDING TIME AFTER INSPIRATION (BHTINSP), AND HAND GRIP STRENGTH (HGS). TWENTY SEVEN STUDENT VOLUNTEERS WERE GIVEN YOGA TRAINING FOR 12 WEEKS. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT (P < 0.001) DECREASE IN VISUAL RT (FROM 270.0 +/- 6.20 (SE) TO 224.81 +/- 5.76 MS) AS WELL AS AUDITORY RT (FROM 194.18 +/- 6.00 TO 157.33 +/- 4.85 MS). MEP INCREASED FROM 92.61 +/- 9.04 TO 126.46 +/- 10.75 MMHG, WHILE MIP INCREASED FROM 72.23 +/- 6.45 TO 90.92 +/- 6.03 MMHG, BOTH THESE CHANGES BEING STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT (P < 0.05). 40 MMHG TEST AND HGS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY (P < 0.001) FROM 36.57 +/- 2.04 TO 53.36 +/- 3.95 S AND 13.78 +/- 0.58 TO 16.67 +/- 0.49 KG RESPECTIVELY. BHTEXP INCREASED FROM 32.15 +/- 1.41 TO 44.53 +/- 3.78S (P < 0.01) AND BHTINSP INCREASED FROM 63.69 +/- 5.38 TO 89.07 +/- 9.61 S (P < 0.05). OUR RESULTS SHOW THAT YOGA PRACTICE FOR 12 WEEKS RESULTS IN SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN VISUAL AND AUDITORY RTS AND SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN RESPIRATORY PRESSURES, BREATH HOLDING TIMES AND HGS. 1992 10 887 19 EFFECT OF YOGA TYPE BREATHING ON HEART RATE AND CARDIAC AXIS OF NORMAL SUBJECTS. EFFECT OF INSPIRATORY AND EXPIRATORY PHASES OF NORMAL QUIET BREATHING, DEEP BREATHING AND SAVITRI PRANAYAM TYPE BREATHING ON HEART RATE AND MEAN VENTRICULAR QRS AXIS WAS INVESTIGATED IN YOUNG, HEALTHY UNTRAINED SUBJECTS. PRANAYAM TYPE BREATHING PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT CARDIOACCELERATION AND INCREASE IN QRS AXIS DURING THE INSPIRATORY PHASE AS COMPARED TO EUPNEA. ON THE OTHER HAND, EXPIRATORY EFFORT DURING PRANAYAM TYPE BREATHING DID NOT PRODUCE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN HEART RATE OR QRS AXIS. THE CHANGES IN HEART RATE AND QRS AXIS DURING THE INSPIRATORY AND EXPIRATORY PHASES OF PRANAYAM TYPE BREATHING WERE SIMILAR TO THE CHANGES OBSERVED DURING THE CORRESPONDING PHASES OF DEEP BREATHING. 1986 11 1358 25 IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF YOGA EXERCISES FOR EYES ON THE MACULAR THICKNESS. BACKGROUND: YOGA EXERCISES FOR EYES HAVE BEEN ADVOCATED AS BENEFICIAL TO EYE HEALTH. IN A PREVIOUS STUDY, WE EVALUATED THE EFFECT OF YOGA EXERCISES FOR EYES ON THE INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE (IOP). THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE EFFECTS OF YOGA EXERCISES FOR EYES TO OCULAR STRUCTURE HAVE NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED YET. AIM: THE AIM OF THIS STUDY IS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF YOGA EXERCISES FOR EYES ON THE MACULAR STRUCTURE USING THE OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY (OCT) AND OCT ANGIOGRAPHY (OCTA) PARAMETERS. METHODS: TWENTY-NINE PARTICIPANTS WERE INCLUDED IN THIS MASKED WITHIN PARTICIPANT COMPARISON OF HEALTHY CONTROLS. BASIC OPHTHALMIC EXAMINATION WAS PERFORMED, AFTER WHICH PATIENTS WERE EVALUATED FOR IOP, OCT, AND OCTA BEFORE AND AFTER YOGA EXERCISES FOR EYES. OCT/A PARAMETERS THAT WERE EVALUATED WERE: AVERAGE MACULAR THICKNESS (AMT) (MUM), CENTRAL MACULAR THICKNESS (MUM), CENTRAL CHOROIDAL THICKNESS (MUM) VESSEL DENSITY (%) IN THE SUPERFICIAL, DEEP VASCULAR LAYERS, AND IN THE CHORIOCAPILLARIS. RESULTS: IOP WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED (POSTEXERCISE IOP = 13.02 MMHG +/- 2.82 MMHG) FROM THE INITIAL VALUE (PREEXERCISE IOP = 13.86 MMHG +/- 2.85 MMHG, P = 0.02). AMT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED (POSTEXERCISE AMT = 275.40 MUM +/- 10.85 MUM) FROM THE PREEXERCISE MEASUREMENT (PREEXERCISE AMT = 274.41 MUM +/- 10.89 MUM; P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: AFTER YOGA OCULAR EXERCISES, IOP SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED AND AMT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED IN HEALTHY CONTROLS, SUGGESTING AN EFFECT OF THESE EXERCISES ON THE MACULAR THICKNESS. 2020 12 497 30 COMBINED AYURVEDA AND YOGA PRACTICES FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: A CONTROLLED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: THE INCREASING PREVALENCE OF TYPE 2 DIABETES IN INDIA IS A CAUSE FOR NATIONAL CONCERN, PARTICULARLY THE SPIRALING COST BURDEN TO THE COUNTRY. AS ONE APPROACH TO STOP ITS INCREASE, YOGA MEDICINE HAS BEEN WIDELY IMPLEMENTED, FINDING POPULARITY WITH ALL SOCIAL STRATA. HERE, WE REPORT A STUDY SUGGESTING THAT TREATMENT WITH FRESH HERBAL JUICES AND YOGA CAN IMPROVE THE LEVELS OF BLOOD GLUCOSE AND HEMOGLOBIN A1C (HBA1C) IN PEOPLE WITH PRE-DIABETES. METHODS: STUDY DESIGN: 3-ARM CONTROLLED TRIAL 3 MONTHS IN DURATION. PARTICIPANTS: 157 MALE PRISONERS WITH NEWLY DIAGNOSED, HIGH FASTING BLOOD SUGAR (FBS) AND POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR (PPBS) LEVELS. GROUP INTERVENTIONS: (1) RASAHARA AND YOGA, (2) YOGA, (3) NO INTERVENTION. ASSESSMENTS: FBS AND PPBS LEVELS WERE MEASURED EVERY 2 WEEKS; HBA1C AND BLOOD LIPIDS WERE DETERMINED PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION. RESULTS: SIGNIFICANT DECREASES OCCURRED IN THE FBS (-21.13 +/- 21.16 MG/DL) AND PPBS LEVELS (-15.02 +/- 14.89 MG/DL) IN GROUP 1 (BOTH P < 0.0001) AND IN THE FBS LEVEL (20.62 +/- 32.68 MG/DL) IN GROUP 2 (P = 0.0005), WHILE THE INCREASES IN GROUP 3 ATTAINED SIGNIFICANCE ONLY FOR THE PPBS LEVEL (9.62 +/- 21.83 MG/DL) (P = 0.0022). OBSERVED CHANGES IN HBA1C WERE: GROUP 1, -0.044 +/- 0.059 MG/DL; GROUP 2, +0.024 +/- 0.456 MG/DL (NOT SIGNIFICANT); AND GROUP 3, +0.365 +/- 0.369 MG/DL (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: THIS STUDY OF YOGA FOR THE TREATMENT OF DIABETES SHOWS THAT ALL MALE PRISONERS COULD BENEFIT FROM THE YOGA PRISON PROGRAMS. ADDITION OF YOGA PROGRAMS TO STATE AND FEDERAL ACTIVITIES AT ALL LEVELS IS NOW NATIONAL POLICY IN INDIA. FOLLOW-UP STUDIES SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT TO OBTAIN MORE ROBUST RESULTS. 2018 13 1971 34 SHORT-TERM EFFECT OF ADD ON BELL PEPPER (CAPSICUM ANNUUM VAR. GROSSUM) JUICE WITH INTEGRATED APPROACH OF YOGA THERAPY ON BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS AND CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY. BACKGROUND: TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM) IS A MAJOR GLOBAL HEALTH PROBLEM. THOUGH VARIOUS STUDIES HAVE REPORTED THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF YOGA IN PATIENT WITH T2DM, THERE IS A LACK OF STUDY IN COMBINATION WITH BELL PEPPER AND YOGA. HENCE, THE PRESENT STUDY AIMS AT EVALUATING SHORT-TERM EFFECT OF ADD ON BELL PEPPER JUICE WITH INTEGRATED APPROACH OF YOGA THERAPY (IAYT) ON BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS AND CARDIOVASCULAR VARIABLES IN PATIENTS WITH T2DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: FIFTY T2DM SUBJECTS WITH THE AGE VARIED FROM 34 TO 69-YEARS WERE RECRUITED AND RANDOMLY DIVIDED INTO EITHER STUDY GROUP OR CONTROL GROUP. THE STUDY GROUP RECEIVED 100-ML OF BELL PEPPER JUICE (TWICE/DAY) ALONG WITH IAYT WHILE THE CONTROL GROUP RECEIVED ONLY IAYT FOR 4-CONSECUTIVE DAYS. BASELINE AND POST-TEST ASSESSMENTS WERE TAKEN BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED USING STATISTICAL PACKAGE FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, VERSION-16. RESULTS: RESULTS OF THIS STUDY SHOWED NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN OVERALL (FASTING AND POST PRANDIAL) BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVEL IN THE STUDY GROUP COMPARED WITH CONTROL GROUP. HOWEVER, A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN POST PRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE (PPBG), SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (SBP), PULSE PRESSURE (PP), RATE PRESSURE PRODUCT (RPP) AND DOUBLE PRODUCT (DO-P) WAS OBSERVED IN THE STUDY GROUP COMPARED WITH CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSION: RESULTS OF THIS STUDY SUGGEST THAT THOUGH AN ADDITION OF 100-ML OF BELL PEPPER JUICE (TWICE/DAY) ALONG WITH IAYT IS NOT MORE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, IT MAY BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING PPBG, SBP, PP, RPP AND DO-P THAN IAYT ALONE. 2017 14 534 29 COMPARISON OF YOGA AND WALKING-EXERCISE ON CARDIAC TIME INTERVALS AS A MEASURE OF CARDIAC FUNCTION IN ELDERLY WITH INCREASED PULSE PRESSURE. OBJECTIVE: ARTERIAL AGING ALONG WITH INCREASED BLOOD PRESSURE(BP) HAS BECOME THE MAJOR CARDIOVASCULAR(CV) RISK IN ELDERLY. THE AIM OF THE STUDY WAS TO COMPARE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA PROGRAM AND WALKING-EXERCISE ON CARDIAC FUNCTION IN ELDERLY WITH INCREASED PULSE PRESSURE (PP). METHODS: AN OPEN LABEL, PARALLEL-GROUP RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY DESIGN WAS ADOPTED. ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS AGED >/=60 YEARS WITH PP>/=60MMHG WERE RECRUITED FOR THE STUDY. YOGA (STUDY) GROUP (N=30) WAS ASSIGNED FOR YOGA TRAINING AND WALKING (EXERCISE) GROUP (N=30) FOR WALKING WITH LOOSENING PRACTICES FOR ONE HOUR IN THE MORNING FOR 6DAYS IN A WEEK FOR 3 MONTHS. THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE CARDIAC TIME INTERVALS DERIVED FROM PULSE WAVE ANALYSIS AND ECG: RESTING HEART RATE (RHR), DIASTOLIC TIME(DT), VENTRICULAR EJECTION TIME(LVET), UPSTROKE TIME(UT), EJECTION DURATION INDEX (ED%), PRE-EJECTION PERIOD (PEP), RATE PRESSURE PRODUCT (RPP) AND PERCENTAGE OF MEAN ARTERIAL PRESSURE (%MAP). RESULTS: THE MEAN WITHIN-YOGA GROUP CHANGE IN RHR(BPM) WAS 4.41 (P=0.031), PD(MS): -50.29 (P=0.042), DT(MS): -49.04 (P=0.017), ED%: 2.107 (P=0.001), ES(MMHG/MS): 14.62 (P=0.118), ET(MS): -0.66 (P=0.903), UT(MS): -2.54 (P=0.676), PEP(MS): -1.25 (P=0.11) AND %MAP: 2.08 (P=0.04). THE MEAN WITHIN-CONTROL GROUP CHANGE IN HR (BPM) WAS 0.35 (P=0.887), PD (MS): 11.15(P=0.717), DT (MS): 11.3 (P=0.706), ED%: -0.101 (P=0.936), ES (MMHG/MS): 0.75 (P=0.926), ET(MS): 2.2 (P=0.721), UT(MS):4.7(P=455), PEP (MS): 2.1(P=0.11), %MAP: 0.65 (P=0.451). A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN-GROUP WAS FOUND IN RHR (P=0.036), PD (P=0.02), ED% (P=0.049), LVET (P=0.048), DT (P=0.02) AND RPP (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: YOGA PRACTICE FOR 3 MONTHS SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN DIASTOLIC FUNCTION WITH A MINIMAL CHANGE IN SYSTOLIC FUNCTION. YOGA IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN WALKING IN IMPROVING CARDIAC FUNCTION IN ELDERLY WITH HIGH PP. 2017 15 839 21 EFFECT OF YOGA ON PLASMA GLUCOSE, LIPID PROFILE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND INSULIN REQUIREMENT IN A PATIENT WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS. OBJECTIVES: THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY IS TO EVALUATE THE SHORT-TERM EFFECT OF YOGA ON PLASMA GLUCOSE, LIPID PROFILE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND INSULIN REQUIREMENT IN A PATIENT WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS (T1DM). CASE PRESENTATION: A 28-YEARS OLD FEMALE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH T1DM AT THE AGE OF SEVEN. SHE WAS UNDER HUMAN MIXTARD INSULIN 30-70, THRICE/DAY FOR 15-15-15 UNITS. SHE HAD A HISTORY OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL, DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS AND HYPOGLYCEMIC SHOCK. AT THE AGE OF 27, SHE GOT ADMITTED WITH COMPLAINTS OF GENERAL WEAKNESS, JOINTS STIFFNESS AND WEIGHT LOSS IN OUR HOLISTIC HEALTH CENTRE AND UNDERWENT TWO WEEKS OF YOGA. RESULTS SHOWED A BETTER REDUCTION IN THE PLASMA GLUCOSE LEVELS, LIPID PROFILE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND INSULIN DOSE AND AN INCREASE IN HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS WITH NO EPISODES OF HYPOGLYCEMIA AFTER YOGA. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA MIGHT BE CONSIDERED AS A SAFER AND EFFECTIVE ADJUVANT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF T1DM. 2021 16 1112 29 EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF YOGA BREATHING IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE: A PILOT STUDY. PURPOSE: YOGA-DERIVED BREATHING HAS BEEN REPORTED TO IMPROVE GAS EXCHANGE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEART FAILURE AND IN PARTICIPANTS EXPOSED TO HIGH-ALTITUDE HYPOXIA. WE INVESTIGATED THE TOLERABILITY AND EFFECT OF YOGA BREATHING ON VENTILATORY PATTERN AND OXYGENATION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD). METHODS: PATIENTS WITH COPD (N = 11, 3 WOMEN) WITHOUT PREVIOUS YOGA PRACTICE AND TAKING ONLY SHORT-ACTING BETA2-ADRENERGIC BLOCKING DRUGS WERE ENROLLED. VENTILATORY PATTERN AND OXYGEN SATURATION WERE MONITORED BY MEANS OF INDUCTIVE PLETHYSMOGRAPHY DURING 30-MINUTE SPONTANEOUS BREATHING AT REST (SB) AND DURING A 30-MINUTE YOGA LESSON (Y). DURING THE YOGA LESSON, THE PATIENTS WERE REQUESTED TO MOBILIZE IN SEQUENCE THE DIAPHRAGM, LOWER CHEST, AND UPPER CHEST ADOPTING A SLOWER AND DEEPER BREATHING. WE EVALUATED OXYGEN SATURATION (SAO2%), TIDAL VOLUME (VT), MINUTE VENTILATION (E), RESPIRATORY RATE (I>F), INSPIRATORY TIME, TOTAL BREATH TIME, FRACTIONAL INSPIRATORY TIME, AN INDEX OF THORACOABDOMINAL COORDINATION, AND AN INDEX OF RAPID SHALLOW BREATHING. CHANGES IN DYSPNEA DURING THE YOGA LESSON WERE ASSESSED WITH THE BORG SCALE. RESULTS: DURING THE YOGA LESSON, DATA SHOWED THE ADOPTION OF A DEEPER AND SLOWER BREATHING PATTERN (VTSB L 0.54[0.04], VTY L 0.74[0.08], P = .01; I>FSB 20.8[1.3], I>FY 13.8[0.2], P = .001) AND A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN SAO2% WITH NO CHANGE IN E (SAO2%SB 91.5%[1.13], SAO2%Y 93.5%[0.99], P = .02; ESB L/MIN 11.2[1.1], EY L/MIN 10.2[0.9]). ALL THE PARTICIPANTS REPORTED TO BE COMFORTABLE DURING THE YOGA LESSON, WITH NO INCREASE IN DYSPNEA INDEX. CONCLUSION: WE CONCLUDE THAT SHORT-TERM TRAINING IN YOGA IS WELL TOLERATED AND INDUCES FAVORABLE RESPIRATORY CHANGES IN PATIENTS WITH COPD. 2009 17 781 23 EFFECT OF YOGA ASANAS ON NERVE CONDUCTION IN TYPE 2 DIABETES. TWENTY TYPE 2 DIABETIC SUBJECTS BETWEEN THE AGE GROUP OF 30-60 YEARS WERE STUDIED TO SEE THE EFFECT OF 40 DAYS OF YOGA ASANAS ON THE NERVE CONDUCTION VELOCITY. THE DURATION OF DIABETES RANGED FROM 0-10 YEARS. SUBJECT SUFFERING FROM CARDIAC, RENAL AND PROLIFERATIVE RETINAL COMPLICATIONS WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE STUDY YOGA ASANAS INCLUDED SURYANAMSKAR. TADASAN, KONASAN, PADMASAN PRANAYAM, PASCHIMOTTANSAN ARDHMATSYENDRASAN, SHAVASAN, PAVANMUKTHASAN, SARPASAN AND SHAVASAN. SUBJECTS WERE CALLED TO THE CARDIO-RESPIRATORY LABORATORY IN THE MORNING TIME AND WERE GIVEN TRAINING BY THE YOGA EXPERT. THE YOGA EXERCISES WERE PERFORMED FOR 30-40 MINUTES EVERY DAY FOR 40 DAYS IN THE ABOVE SEQUENCE. THE SUBJECTS WERE PRESCRIBED CERTAIN MEDICINES AND DIET. THE BASAL BLOOD GLUCOSE, NERVE CONDUCTION VELOCITY OF THE MEDIAN NERVE WAS MEASURED AND REPEATED AFTER 40 DAYS OF YOGIC REGIME. ANOTHER GROUP OF 20 TYPE 2 DIABETES SUBJECTS OF COMPARABLE AGE AND SEVERITY, CALLED THE CONTROL GROUP, WERE KEPT ON PRESCRIBED MEDICATION AND LIGHT PHYSICAL EXERCISES LIKE WALKING. THEIR BASAL & POST 40 DAYS PARAMETERS WERE RECORDED FOR COMPARISON. RIGHT HAND AND LEFT HAND MEDIAN NERVE CONDUCTION VELOCITY INCREASED FROM 52.81 +/- 1.1 M/SEC TO 53.87 +/- 1.1 M/SEC AND 52.46 +/- 1.0 TO 54.75 +/- 1/1 M/SEC RESPECTIVELY. CONTROL GROUP NERVE FUNCTION PARAMETERS DETERIORATED OVER THE PERIOD OF STUDY, INDICATING THAT DIABETES IS A SLOWLY PROGRESSIVE DISEASE INVOLVING THE NERVES. YOGA ASANAS HAVE A BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON GLYCAEMIC CONTROL AND IMPROVE NERVE FUNCTION IN MILD TO MODERATE TYPE 2 DIABETES WITH SUB-CLINICAL NEUROPATHY. 2002 18 2463 26 YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. PURPOSE: THIS STUDY AIMED TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF 12 WEEKS YOGIC INTERVENTION ON BLOOD SUGAR AND LIPID PROFILE IN ELDER WOMEN WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: TWENTY ELDERLY (AGE RANGE 55-70 YEARS) T2DM WOMEN WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS, NAMELY, YOGIC INTERVENTION GROUP (YIG: N = 10, AGE 64.70 +/- 4.03, BODY MASS INDEX [BMI] 24.26 +/- 3.40) AND CONTROL GROUP (CG: N = 10, AGE 64.40 +/- 4.79, BMI 24.28 +/- 2.36). YIG UNDERWENT YOGA PRACTICE (ASANAS, KRIYAS, PRANAYAMAS) FOR 12 WEEKS (3 SESSIONS/WEEK), WHILE THE CG CONTINUED THEIR USUAL ROUTINE ACTIVITIES. STANDING HEIGHT, BODY WEIGHT, BMI, BLOOD SUGAR, AND LIPID PROFILE WERE MEASURED BEFORE COMMENCEMENT AND AFTER 6 AND 12 WEEKS OF YOGIC INTERVENTION IN BOTH GROUPS. RESULTS: THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT (P < 0.01) DECREASE IN FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDES, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, AND VERY LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, WITH A SIGNIFICANT (P < 0.01) INCREASE IN HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN LEVEL FROM ITS INITIAL VALUE IN YIG, WHILE SHOWING INSIGNIFICANT RESULT IN CG. CONCLUSION: IT CAN BE SAID THAT YOGIC INTERVENTION MAY HAVE THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON BLOOD SUGAR AND LIPID PROFILE IN ELDERLY WOMEN WITH T2DM. 2018 19 808 33 EFFECT OF YOGA ON ARTERIAL STIFFNESS IN ELDERLY SUBJECTS WITH INCREASED PULSE PRESSURE: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY. OBJECTIVE: WE AIMED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON ARTERIAL FUNCTION IN ELDERLY WITH INCREASED PULSE PRESSURE (PP). DESIGN: RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY WITH TWO PARALLEL GROUPS. PARTICIPANTS: ELDERLY SUBJECTS WITH PP>/=60 MMHG (N=60). INTERVENTIONS: YOGA GROUP (N=30) WAS ASSIGNED FOR YOGA TRAINING AND BRISK-WALKING (BW) GROUP (N=30) FOR BRISK-WALK WITH STRETCHING EXERCISE FOR 1H IN THE MORNING FOR 6 DAYS IN A WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ARTERIAL STIFFNESS MEASURES: BRACHIAL-ANKLE PULSE WAVE VELOCITY (BAPWV), CAROTID-FEMORAL PULSE WAVE VELOCITY (C-F PWV), AORTIC AUGMENTATION INDEX (AIX@75), ARTERIAL STIFFNESS INDEX AT BRACHIAL (BASI) AND TIBIAL ARTERIES (AASI). TOTAL SERUM NITRIC OXIDE CONCENTRATION (NOX) AS AN INDEX OF ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION. HEART RATE VARIABILITY (HRV) MEASURES: LOW FREQUENCY AND HIGH FREQUENCY IN NORMALIZED UNITS (LFNU, HFNU) AND LF/HF RATIO. RESULTS: THE MEAN BETWEEN-GROUP CHANGE (WITH 95% CI) IN ARTERIAL STIFFNESS: C-F PWV(M/S) [1.25(0.59-1.89); P<0.001], BAPWV(M/S) [1.96(0.76-3.16), P<0.01], AIX@75 [3.07(0.24-5.89), P=0.066], AASI [8.3(4.06-12.53), P<0.001]; ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION INDEX: NO(MUMOL/L) [-9.03(-14.57 TO -3.47), P<0.001]; SBP(MMHG) [14.23(12.03-16.44), P<0.001], DBP(MMHG) [0.1(-1.95-2.15), P=0.38], PP(MMHG) [14.07(11.2-16.92), P<0.001], MAP(MMHG) [4.7(3.08-6.32), P<0.001]; AND CARDIAC AUTONOMIC FUNCTION: LF(NU) [4.81(1.54-8.08), P<0.01], HF(NU) [-4.13(-7.57 TO -0.69), P<0.01], LF/HF RATIO [0.84(0.3-1.37), P<0.001], INDICATE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN EFFECTS OF TWO INTERVENTION ON ARTERIAL STIFFNESS, ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION, BP AND CARDIAC AUTONOMIC ACTIVITY. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WITHIN-YOGA GROUP IN VASCULAR FUNCTION, BP AND AUTONOMIC FUNCTION, WHILE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WITHIN-BW GROUP WAS OBSERVED. CONCLUSION: OUR FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA PROGRAM OFFERED WAS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN BRISK-WALK IN REDUCING ARTERIAL STIFFNESS ALONG WITH BP IN ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS WITH INCREASED PP. YOGA CAN ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE SYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY AND IMPROVE ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION WITH ENHANCEMENT IN BIOAVAILABILITY OF NO. 2015 20 2005 27 STUDY OF PULMONARY AND AUTONOMIC FUNCTIONS OF ASTHMA PATIENTS AFTER YOGA TRAINING. "THE CONCEPT OF YOGA IS HELPFUL FOR THE TREATMENT OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA", HAS CREATED A GREAT INTEREST IN THE MEDICAL RESEARCH FIELD. IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER AUTONOMIC FUNCTIONS AND PULMONARY FUNCTIONS ARE IMPROVED IN ASTHMA PATIENTS AFTER SHORT TERM YOGA TRAINING, A STUDY WAS CONDUCTED WITH NINE DIAGNOSED BRONCHIAL ASTHMA PATIENTS. YOGA TRAINING WAS GIVEN FOR SEVEN DAYS IN A CAMP IN ADHYATMA SADHNA KENDRA, NEW DELHI. THE AUTONOMIC FUNCTION TESTS TO MEASURE THE PARASYMPATHETIC REACTIVITY (DEEP BREATHING TEST, VALSALVA MANOUEVER), SYMPATHETIC REACTIVITY (HAND GRIP TEST, COLD PRESSURE TEST), AND PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTS FVC, FEV1, PEFR, PIF, BHT AND CE WERE RECORDED BEFORE AND AFTER YOGA TRAINING. THE RESTING HEART RATE AFTER YOGA TRAINING (P < 0.05) WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED (89.55 +/- 18.46/MIN TO 76.22 +/- 16.44/MIN). THE SYMPATHETIC REACTIVITY WAS REDUCED FOLLOWING YOGA TRAINING AS INDICATED BY SIGNIFICANT (P < 0.01) REDUCTION IN DBP AFTER HGT. THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN PARASYMPATHETIC REACTIVITY. THE FVC, FEV1, PEFR DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. THE PIF (P < 0.01), BHT (P < 0.01) AND CE (P < 0.01) SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT. THE RESULTS CLOSELY INDICATED THE REDUCTION IN SYMPATHETIC REACTIVITY AND IMPROVEMENT IN THE PULMONARY VENTILATION BY WAY OF RELAXATION OF VOLUNTARY INSPIRATORY AND EXPIRATORY MUSCLES. THE "COMPREHENSIVE YOGIC LIFE STYLE CHANGE PROGRAMME FOR PATIENTS OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA" HAVE SHOWN SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT EVEN WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD. 1996