1 1904 145 RETARDATION OF CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS WITH YOGA LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION. BACKGROUND: YOGA HAS POTENTIAL FOR BENEFIT FOR PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE THOUGH OBJECTIVE, ANGIOGRAPHIC STUDIES ARE LACKING. MATERIAL AND METHODS: WE EVALUATED POSSIBLE ROLE OF LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION INCORPORATING YOGA, ON RETARDATION OF CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROTIC DISEASE. IN THIS PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED TRIAL, 42 MEN WITH ANGIOGRAPHICALLY PROVEN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD) WERE RANDOMIZED TO CONTROL (N = 21) AND YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP (N = 21) AND WERE FOLLOWED FOR ONE YEAR. THE ACTIVE GROUP WAS TREATED WITH A USER-FRIENDLY PROGRAM CONSISTING OF YOGA, CONTROL OF RISK FACTORS, DIET CONTROL AND MODERATE AEROBIC EXERCISE. THE CONTROL GROUP WAS MANAGED BY CONVENTIONAL METHODS I.E. RISK FACTOR CONTROL AND AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION STEP I DIET. RESULTS: AT ONE YEAR, THE YOGA GROUPS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF ANGINAL EPISODES PER WEEK, IMPROVED EXERCISE CAPACITY AND DECREASE IN BODY WEIGHT. SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LDL CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDE LEVELS ALSO SHOWED GREATER REDUCTIONS AS COMPARED WITH CONTROL GROUP. REVASCULARISATION PROCEDURES (CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY OR BYPASS SURGERY) WERE LESS FREQUENTLY REQUIRED IN THE YOGA GROUP (ONE VERSUS EIGHT PATIENTS; RELATIVE RISK = 5.45; P = 0.01). CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY REPEATED AT ONE YEAR SHOWED THAT SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LESIONS REGRESSED (20% VERSUS 2%) AND LESS LESIONS PROGRESSED (5% VERSUS 37%) IN THE YOGA GROUP (CHI-SQUARE = 24.9; P < 0.0001). THE COMPLIANCE TO THE TOTAL PROGRAM WAS EXCELLENT AND NO SIDE EFFECTS WERE OBSERVED. CONCLUSION: YOGA LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION RETARDS PROGRESSION AND INCREASES REGRESSION OF CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. IT ALSO IMPROVES SYMPTOMATIC STATUS, FUNCTIONAL CLASS AND RISK FACTOR PROFILE. 2000 2 867 56 EFFECT OF YOGA REGIMEN ON LUNG FUNCTIONS INCLUDING DIFFUSION CAPACITY IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE PATIENTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY. BACKGROUND: LUNG FUNCTIONS ARE FOUND TO BE IMPAIRED IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD), CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, LEFT VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION, AND AFTER CARDIAC SURGERY. DIFFUSION CAPACITY PROGRESSIVELY WORSENS AS THE SEVERITY OF CAD INCREASES DUE TO REDUCTION IN LUNG TISSUE PARTICIPATING IN GAS EXCHANGE. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: PRANAYAMA BREATHING EXERCISES AND YOGIC POSTURES MAY PLAY AN IMPRESSIVE ROLE IN IMPROVING CARDIO-RESPIRATORY EFFICIENCY AND FACILITATING GAS DIFFUSION AT THE ALVEOLO-CAPILLARY MEMBRANE. THIS STUDY WAS DONE TO SEE THE EFFECT OF YOGA REGIMEN ON LUNG FUNCTIONS PARTICULARLY DIFFUSION CAPACITY IN CAD PATIENTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A TOTAL OF 80 STABLE CAD PATIENTS BELOW 65 YEARS OF AGE OF BOTH SEXES WERE SELECTED AND RANDOMIZED INTO TWO GROUPS OF 40 EACH. GROUP I CAD PATIENTS WERE GIVEN YOGA REGIMEN FOR 3 MONTHS WHICH CONSISTED OF YOGIC POSTURES, PRANAYAMA BREATHING EXERCISES, DIETARY MODIFICATION, AND HOLISTIC TEACHING ALONG WITH THEIR CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE WHILE GROUP II CAD PATIENTS WERE PUT ONLY ON CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE. LUNG FUNCTIONS INCLUDING DIFFUSION CAPACITY WERE RECORDED THRICE IN BOTH THE GROUPS: 0 DAY AS BASELINE, 22(ND) DAY AND ON 90(TH) DAY BY USING COMPUTERIZED MS MEDISOFT CARDIO-RESPIRATORY INSTRUMENT, HYP'AIR COMPACT MODEL OF CARDIO-RESPIRATORY TESTING MACHINE WAS MANUFACTURED BY P K MORGAN, INDIA. THE RECORDED PARAMETERS WERE STATISTICALLY ANALYZED BY REPEATED MEASURES ANOVA FOLLOWED BY TUKEY'S TEST IN BOTH THE GROUPS. CARDIOVASCULAR PARAMETERS WERE ALSO COMPARED BEFORE AND AFTER INTERVENTION IN BOTH THE GROUPS. RESULTS: STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS WERE SEEN IN SLOW VITAL CAPACITY, FORCED VITAL CAPACITY, PEAK EXPIRATORY FLOW RATE, MAXIMUM VOLUNTARY VENTILATION, AND DIFFUSION FACTOR/ TRANSFER FACTOR OF LUNG FOR CARBON MONOXIDE AFTER 3 MONTHS OF YOGA REGIMEN IN GROUP I. FORCED EXPIRATORY VOLUME IN 1(ST) SEC (FEV1), AND FEV1 % ALSO SHOWED A TREND TOWARD IMPROVEMENT ALTHOUGH NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. HR, SBP AND DBP ALSO SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN GROUP-I PATIENTS WHO FOLLOWED YOGA REGIMEN. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA REGIMEN WAS FOUND TO IMPROVE LUNG FUNCTIONS AND DIFFUSION CAPACITY IN CAD PATIENTS BESIDES IMPROVING CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTIONS. THUS, IT CAN BE USED AS A COMPLIMENTARY OR ADJUNCT THERAPY ALONG WITH THE CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE FOR THEIR TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION. 2015 3 384 61 BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA LIFESTYLE ON REVERSIBILITY OF ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE: CARING HEART PROJECT OF INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF YOGA. OBJECTIVES: YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN EARLIER SHOWN TO BE BENEFICIAL IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IN A SMALL NUMBER OF PATIENTS. WE EVALUATED THE ROLE OF LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION BASED ON YOGA TECHNIQUES, STRESS MANAGEMENT AND DIETARY MODIFICATIONS IN RETARDATION OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. METHODS: THIS PROSPECTIVE, CONTROLLED, OPEN TRIAL INCLUDED ANGIOGRAPHICALLY PROVEN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE PATIENTS (71 PATIENTS IN STUDY GROUP AND 42 PATIENTS IN CONTROL GROUP). THEY WERE ASSESSED CLINICALLY, BY BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS, STRESS MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION AND FUNCTION STUDIES AND CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY AND ON PSYCHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS. THE STUDY GROUP PATIENTS WERE GIVEN A FAMILY BASED YOGA PROGRAMME WHICH INCLUDED, CONTROL OF RISK FACTORS, DIETARY MODIFICATIONS AND STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR. THE PATIENTS WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE, AT FREQUENT INTERVALS AND AT THE END OF ONE YEAR. RESULTS: AT THE END OF ONE YEAR OF YOGA TRAINING, STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANT CHANGES (P<0.05) WERE FOUND IN SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL (REDUCTION BY 23.3% IN STUDY GROUP PATIENTS AS COMPARED TO 4.4% IN CONTROLS); SERUM LDL CHOLESTEROL (REDUCTION OF 26% IN STUDY GROUP PATIENTS AS COMPARED TO 2.6% IN THE CONTROL GROUP), REGRESSION OF DISEASE (43.7% OF STUDY GROUP PATIENTS V/S 31% CONTROL GROUP ON MPI AND 70.4% OF STUDY GROUP V/S 28% OF CONTROL GROUP ON ANGIOGRAPHY) ARREST OF PROGRESSION (46.5% STUDY GROUP V/S 33.3% CONTROL GROUP ON MPI) AND PROGRESSION (9.9% OF STUDY GROUP VS 35.7% OF CONTROLS ON MPI, 29.6% OF STUDY GROUP V/S 60.0% OF CONTROLS ON ANGIOGRAPHY). AT THE END OF THE STUDY IMPROVEMENT IN ANXIETY SCORES WAS CONCORDANT WITH THE IMPROVEMENT SEEN IN THE MPI. NO UNTOWARD EFFECTS OF THE THERAPY WERE OBSERVED. CONCLUSION: YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS HELP IN REGRESSION OF CORONARY LESIONS AND IN IMPROVING MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION. THIS IS TRANSLATED INTO CLINICAL BENEFITS AND SYMPTOMATIC IMPROVEMENT. 2004 4 39 44 A BRIEF BUT COMPREHENSIVE LIFESTYLE EDUCATION PROGRAM BASED ON YOGA REDUCES RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DIABETES MELLITUS. OBJECTIVES: THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY WAS TO STUDY THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF A BRIEF LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION BASED ON YOGA ON SOME OF THE BIOCHEMICAL INDICATORS OF RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DIABETES MELLITUS. DESIGN: THE VARIABLES OF INTEREST WERE MEASURED AT THE BEGINNING (DAY 1) AND END (DAY 10) OF THE INTERVENTION USING A PRE-POST DESIGN. SETTING: THE STUDY IS THE RESULT OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH CARRIED OUT IN OUR INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC). THE IHC IS AN OUTPATIENT FACILITY WHICH CONDUCTS 8-DAY LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION PROGRAMS BASED ON YOGA FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASE. A NEW COURSE BEGINS EVERY ALTERNATE WEEK OF THE YEAR. SUBJECTS: THE STUDY IS BASED ON DATA COLLECTED ON 98 SUBJECTS (67 MALE, 31 FEMALE), AGES 20-74 YEARS, WHO ATTENDED ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS. THE SUBJECTS WERE A HETEROGENEOUS GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, DIABETES MELLITUS, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER ILLNESSES. INTERVENTION: THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF ASANAS (POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, GROUP SUPPORT, INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE, LECTURES AND FILMS ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA AND THE PLACE OF YOGA IN DAILY LIFE, MEDITATION, STRESS MANAGEMENT, NUTRITION, AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ILLNESS. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE AND SERUM LIPOPROTEIN PROFILE. THESE VARIABLES WERE DETERMINED IN FASTING BLOOD SAMPLES, TAKEN ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. RESULTS: FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (LDL) CHOLESTEROL, VERY- LDL CHOLESTEROL, THE RATIO OF TOTAL CHOLESTEROL TO HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (HDL) CHOLESTEROL, AND TOTAL TRIGLYCERIDES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER, AND HDL CHOLESTEROL SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER, ON THE LAST DAY OF THE COURSE COMPARED TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE COURSE. THE CHANGES WERE MORE MARKED IN SUBJECTS WITH HYPERGLYCEMIA OR HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA. CONCLUSIONS: THE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT A SHORT LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM LEADS TO FAVORABLE METABOLIC EFFECTS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 9 DAYS. 2005 5 2858 34 YOGA-BASED CARDIAC REHABILITATION: CURRENT PERSPECTIVES FROM RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE CARRIES A HIGH MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WORLDWIDE, AND EXERCISE-BASED CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN SECONDARY PREVENTION. EXERCISE-BASED REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES ARE EXPENSIVE, AND IN CERTAIN SUBGROUPS UPTAKE IS POOR. YOGA HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO SHOW IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH WHICH WOULD SUPPORT ITS USE IN CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES. WE CARRIED OUT A REVIEW OF CURRENT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS TO DETERMINE IF YOGA-BASED CARDIAC REHABILITATION LEADS TO REDUCED CARDIAC RISK FACTORS, AND IMPROVED PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE COMPARED TO STANDARD CARE. SIX RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDIES WERE IDENTIFIED AFTER A MEDICAL DATABASE SEARCH, AND META-ANALYSIS WAS CARRIED OUT FOR THE DIFFERENT OUTCOMES. OVERALL, THE ADDITION OF YOGA TO STANDARD CARE RESULTED IN IMPROVED SUBJECTIVE FEELING OF CARDIAC HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE. THERE WAS ALSO A TREND TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT IN LEFT VENTRICULAR SYSTOLIC FUNCTION. IMPROVEMENT IN CARDIAC RISK FACTORS, MACE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH IN THIS COHORT HAS STILL TO BE PROVEN, BUT WAS NOT INFERIOR TO STANDARD OR ENHANCED CARE, AND THE BENEFITS BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED AT LONGER FOLLOW-UP. FUTURE STUDIES WITH LONGER FOLLOW-UP AND LARGER PATIENT NUMBERS WOULD AID IN ACCURATELY ASSESSING THE LONG-TERM BENEFIT OF YOGA-BASED REHABILITATION. 2021 6 739 35 EFFECT OF RAJA YOGA MEDITATION ON THE LIPID PROFILE OF POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. BACKGROUND: CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IS AN IMPORTANT CAUSE OF DEATH AND DISABILITY AMONG OLDER WOMEN. MODIFICATION IN LIPID PROFILE LOWERS THE RISK OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. IT IS CLAIMED THAT YOGA AND TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION HAVE A CHOLESTEROL LOWERING EFFECT. THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF RAJA YOGA MEDITATION OF BRAHMAKUMARIS WHICH IS VERY SIMPLE TO PRACTICE, ON SERUM LIPIDS IN NORMAL INDIAN WOMEN. METHODS AND RESULTS: 49 NORMAL FEMALE VOLUNTEERS WERE THE SUBJECTS. THEY WERE DIVIDED INTO PRE-MENOPAUSAL (N=23) AND POST-MENOPAUSAL (N=26) GROUPS. THEY WERE FURTHER DIVIDED INTO NON-MEDITATORS (WHO HAD NEVER DONE ANY KIND OF MEDITATION), SHORT-TERM MEDITATORS (MEDITATING FOR 6 MONTHS TO 5 YEARS) AND LONG-TERM MEDITATORS (MEDITATING FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS). LIPID PROFILE WAS ASSESSED USING THEIR RESPECTIVE REAGENT SETS. SERUM CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDE AND LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL IN NONMEDITATORS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN AS COMPARED TO PRE-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. SERUM CHOLESTEROL AND LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERED IN BOTH SHORT AND LONG TERM MEDITATORS AS COMPARED TO NON-MEDITATORS IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WAS OBSERVED IN LIPID PROFILE IN PRE-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. CONCLUSION: RAJA YOGA MEDITATION LOWERED SERUM CHOLESTEROL AND LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN THUS REDUCING THE RISK OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IN THEM. 2008 7 2507 50 YOGA BASED CARDIAC REHABILITATION AFTER CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS SURGERY: ONE-YEAR RESULTS ON LVEF, LIPID PROFILE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES--A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY. OBJECTIVE: TO COMPARE THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF YOGA BASED CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAM WITH ONLY PHYSIOTHERAPY BASED PROGRAM AS AN ADD-ON TO CONVENTIONAL REHABILITATION AFTER CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFTING (CABG) ON RISK FACTORS. METHODS: IN THIS SINGLE BLIND PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED PARALLEL TWO ARMED ACTIVE CONTROL STUDY, 1026 PATIENTS POSTED FOR CABG AT NARAYANA HRUDAYALAYA INSTITUTE OF CARDIAC SCIENCES, BENGALURU (INDIA) WERE SCREENED. OF THESE, 250 MALE PARTICIPANTS (35-65 YEARS) WHO SATISFIED THE SELECTION CRITERIA AND CONSENTED WERE RANDOMIZED INTO TWO GROUPS. WITHIN AND BETWEEN GROUP COMPARISONS WERE DONE AT THREE POINTS OF FOLLOW UP (I.E. 6TH WEEK, 6TH MONTH, AND 12TH MONTH) BY USING WILCOXON'S SIGNED RANKS TEST AND MANN WHITNEY U TEST RESPECTIVELY. RESULTS: YOGA GROUP HAD SIGNIFICANTLY (P = 0.001, MANN WHITNEY) BETTER IMPROVEMENT IN LVEF THAN CONTROL GROUP IN THOSE WITH ABNORMAL BASELINE EF (<53%) AFTER 1 YEAR. THERE WAS A BETTER REDUCTION IN BMI IN THE YOGA GROUP (P = 0.038, BETWEEN GROUPS) IN THOSE WITH HIGH BASELINE BMI (>/=23) AFTER 12 MONTHS. YOGA GROUP SHOWED SIGNIFICANT (P = 0.008, WILCOXON'S) REDUCTION IN BLOOD GLUCOSE AT ONE YEAR IN THOSE WITH HIGH BASELINE FBS >/=110 MG/DL. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER IMPROVEMENT IN YOGA THAN THE CONTROL GROUP IN HDL (P = 0.003), LDL (P = 0.01) AND VLDL (P = 0.03) IN THOSE WITH ABNORMAL BASELINE VALUES. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER IMPROVEMENT (P = 0.02, BETWEEN GROUPS) IN POSITIVE AFFECT IN YOGA GROUP. WITHIN YOGA GROUP, THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN PERCEIVED STRESS (P = 0.001), ANXIETY (P = 0.001), DEPRESSION (P = 0.001), AND NEGATIVE AFFECT (P = 0.03) WHILE IN THE CONTROL GROUP THERE WAS REDUCTION (P = 0.003) ONLY IN SCORES ON ANXIETY. CONCLUSION: ADDITION OF YOGA BASED RELAXATION TO CONVENTIONAL POST-CABG CARDIAC REHABILITATION HELPS IN BETTER MANAGEMENT OF RISK FACTORS IN THOSE WITH ABNORMAL BASELINE VALUES AND MAY HELP IN PREVENTING RECURRENCE. 2014 8 2617 57 YOGA FOR SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. OBJECTIVES: YOGA HAS BEEN WIDELY PRACTICED AND HAS RECENTLY SHOWN BENEFITS IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY HEART DISEASE (CHD), HOWEVER, EVIDENCE IS INCONSISTENT. METHODS: WE CONDUCTED A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS BY SEARCHING PUBMED/MEDLINE, THE COCHRANE CENTRAL REGISTER OF CONTROLLED TRIALS (CENTRAL), EMBASE AND WEB OF SCIENCE FROM INCEPTION TO MAY 31, 2020 FOR RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIALS (RCTS) COMPARING YOGA WITH USUAL CARE OR NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH CHD. THE PRIMARY OUTCOMES WERE ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY AND HEALTH RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HR-QOL). SECONDARY OUTCOMES WERE A COMPOSITE CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOME, EXERCISE CAPACITY AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS (BLOOD PRESSURE, LIPID PROFILES AND BODY MASS INDEX). RESULTS: SEVEN RCTS WITH A TOTAL OF 4671 PARTICIPANTS WERE INCLUDED. SIX RCTS COMPARED YOGA WITH USUAL CARE AND ONE COMPARED YOGA WITH DESIGNED EXERCISE. THE MEAN AGE OF THE PARTICIPANTS RANGED FROM 51.0-60.7 YEARS AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM WERE MEN (85.4 %). POOLED RESULTS SHOWED THAT COMPARED WITH USUAL CARE, YOGA HAD NO EFFECT ON ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY (RR, 1.02; 95 % CI, 0.75-1.39), BUT IT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED HR-QOL (SMD, 0.07; 95 % CI, 0.01 - 0.14). A NON-SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF THE COMPOSITE CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOME WAS OBSERVED (133 VS. 154; RR, 0.63; 95 % CI, 0.15-2.59). SERUM LEVEL OF TRIGLYCERIDE AND HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL, BLOOD PRESSURE AND BODY MASS INDEX WERE ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED. THE STUDY COMPARING YOGA WITH CONTROL EXERCISE ALSO REPORTED SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER EFFECTS OF YOGA ON HR-QOL (85.75 VS. 75.24, P < 0.001). NO SEVERE ADVERSE EVENTS RELATED TO YOGA WERE REPORTED. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA MIGHT BE A PROMISING ALTERNATIVE FOR PATIENTS WITH CHD AS IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE, LESS NUMBER OF COMPOSITE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS, AND IMPROVED CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS. 2021 9 1477 55 INTEGRATED YOGA PRACTICE IN CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAM: A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL. BACKGROUND: CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD) IS A DETRIMENTAL NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASE, WHICH IS INCREASING DUE TO SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE AND URBANIZATION IN THE YOUNG POPULATION. IT IS FURTHER ELEVATED WITH RISK FACTORS SUCH AS STRESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AN INCREASE IN TRIGLYCERIDES, DYSLIPIDEMIA, HYPERGLYCEMIA, HYPERTENSION, AND SO ON, WHICH MANIFESTS AS ATHEROSCLEROTIC DISEASE. YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IS A NONINVASIVE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT METHOD TO CONTROL AND PREVENT CARDIAC RISK FACTORS IN CAD PATIENTS. YOGA HAS BEEN USED IN INDIA AS A THERAPEUTIC METHOD TO MANAGE HYPERTENSION AND OTHER CHRONIC DISORDERS AND IS FAST GAINING POPULARITY AS AN EFFECTIVE MEANS FOR THE ALLEVIATION OF STRESS, IMPROVEMENT OF FITNESS, AND ENHANCEMENT OF WELL-BEING. THIS STUDY AIMED TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF INTRODUCING THE INTEGRATED APPROACH OF YOGA THERAPY (IAYT) IN A CARDIAC REHABILITATION CENTER IN INDIA AND UNDERSTAND ITS USEFULNESS IN IMPROVING THE CARDIAC FUNCTION AND MANAGING THE CARDIAC RISK FACTORS IN ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION PATIENTS WITH LEFT VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION. METHODS AND DESIGN: CARDIAC PATIENTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO A YOGA-PRACTICING GROUP (N = 33) AND A CONTROL GROUP (N = 33). THE YOGA-PRACTICING GROUP WAS INSTRUCTED TO ATTEND THREE SUPERVISED IAYT CLASSES 3 DAYS PER WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS AT THE HOSPITAL YOGA CENTER. THE CONTROL GROUP RECEIVED STANDARD CARE THAT INCLUDED PHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT AND THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE CARDIOLOGIST. THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE (T1 = 0) AND COMPLETION (T2 = 3 MONTHS). THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS THE LEFT VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION (LVEF). RESULTS: THERE WAS NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN LVEF (U = 420.500, P VALUE = 0.218) BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS. HOWEVER, THE YOGA-PRACTICING GROUP SHOWED SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN DEPRESSION (CARDIAC DEPRESSION SCALE [CDS], U = 71, P VALUE = 0.0), ANXIETY (HAMILTON ANXIETY RATING SCALE [HAM-A], U = 128, P VALUE = 0.0), AND A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) SCORES (DUKE ACTIVITY STATUS INDEX [DASI], U = 146, P VALUE = 0.0; AND METABOLIC EQUIVALENTS (METS), U = 136, P VALUE = 0.0) AT 3 MONTHS COMPARED TO CONTROL. OVERALL, THE CAD PATIENTS PRACTICING YOGA SHOWED A FAVORABLE PROFILE COMPARED TO CONTROL INDIVIDUALS ON CDS, HAM-A, DASI, AND MET OUTCOMES. CONTROL AND YOGA PRACTICING GROUPS DID NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE LIPID LEVELS. CONCLUSION: THIS STUDY INDICATED THAT THE INTEGRATION OF YOGA PRACTICE IN A CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAM IS FEASIBLE AND HAS NO ADDED BENEFIT IN IMPROVING THE CARDIAC FUNCTION. HOWEVER, THE ADDITION OF YOGA TO CARDIAC REHABILITATION MAY BE BENEFICIAL IN REDUCING DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AND IMPROVING QOL IN PATIENTS. 2020 10 1374 43 IMPACT OF AN INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY PROTOCOL ON INSULIN RESISTANCE AND GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. OBJECTIVE: DIABETES MELLITUS (DM), CHARACTERIZED BY CHRONIC HYPERGLYCEMIA, IS ATTRIBUTED TO RELATIVE INSULIN DEFICIENCY OR RESISTANCE, OR BOTH. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA CAN MODULATE PARAMETERS OF INSULIN RESISTANCE. THE PRESENT STUDY EXPLORED THE POSSIBLE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY WITH REFERENCE TO GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND INSULIN RESISTANCE (IR) IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES MAINTAINED ON STANDARD ORAL MEDICAL CARE WITH YOGA THERAPY, COMPARED TO THOSE ON STANDARD ORAL MEDICAL CARE ALONE. METHODS: IN THIS STUDY, THE SUBJECTS ON YOGA INTERVENTION COMPRISED 35 TYPE 2 DIABETICS, AND AN EQUAL NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS CONSTITUTED THE CONTROL GROUP. SUBJECTS RANGED IN AGE FROM 30 TO 70 YEARS, WITH HEMOGLOBIN A1C (HBA1C) TEST MORE THAN 7%, AND WERE MAINTAINED ON DIABETIC DIET AND ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC AGENTS. BLOOD SAMPLES WERE DRAWN PRIOR TO AND AFTER 120 DAYS OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY INTERVENTION. FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE (FBG), POST-PRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE (PPBG), HBA1C, INSULIN, AND LIPID PROFILE WERE ASSESSED IN BOTH THE INTERVENTION AND CONTROL GROUPS. RESULTS: THE INTERVENTION GROUP REVEALED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) (0.7 KG/M(2) MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.001), FBG (20 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), PPBG (33 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), HBA1C (0.4% MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), HOMEOSTATIC MODEL ASSESSMENT FOR INSULIN RESISTANCE (HOMA-IR) (1.2 MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), CHOLESTEROL (13 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE, P=0.006), TRIACYLGLYCEROL (22 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.027), LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (6 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.004), AND VERY-LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN LEVELS (4 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.032). INCREASES IN HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN AFTER 120 DAYS WERE NOT SIGNIFICANT (6 MG/DL MEDIAN INCREASE; P=0.15). HOWEVER, WHEN COMPARED TO CHANGES OBSERVED IN PATIENTS IN THE CONTROL GROUP, ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS PROVED TO BE SIGNIFICANT. CONCLUSION: ADMINISTRATION OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES LEADS TO A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN GLYCEMIC CONTROL, INSULIN RESISTANCE, AND KEY BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS. 2022 11 783 32 EFFECT OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY. CONSIDERABLE EVIDENCE EXISTS FOR THE PLACE OF MIND BODY MEDICINE IN THE TREATMENT OF ANXIETY DISORDERS. EXCESSIVE ANXIETY IS MALADAPTIVE. IT IS OFTEN CONSIDERED TO BE THE MAJOR COMPONENT OF UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE THAT CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE PATHOGENESIS OF NOT ONLY PSYCHIATRIC BUT ALSO MANY OTHER SYSTEMIC DISORDERS. AMONG THE APPROACHES TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF ANXIETY HAS BEEN THE SEARCH FOR HEALTHY LIFESTYLES. THE AIM OF THE STUDY WAS TO STUDY THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF A COMPREHENSIVE BUT BRIEF LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION, BASED ON YOGA, ON ANXIETY LEVELS IN NORMAL AND DISEASED SUBJECTS. THE STUDY WAS THE RESULT OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH CARRIED OUT IN THE INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC) AT THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY OF ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES. THE SUBJECTS HAD HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, DIABETES MELLITUS, OBESITY, PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS (DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, 'STRESS'), GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS (NON ULCER DYSPEPSIA, DUODENAL ULCERS, IRRITABLE BOWEL DISEASE, CROHN'S DISEASE, CHRONIC CONSTIPATION) AND THYROID DISORDERS (HYPERTHYROIDISM AND HYPOTHYROIDISM). THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF ASANAS, PRANAYAMA, RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, GROUP SUPPORT, INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE, AND LECTURES AND FILMS ON PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA, THE PLACE OF YOGA IN DAILY LIFE, MEDITATION, STRESS MANAGEMENT, NUTRITION, AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ILLNESS. THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE ANXIETY SCORES, TAKEN ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. ANXIETY SCORES, BOTH STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY WERE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. AMONG THE DISEASED SUBJECTS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT WAS SEEN IN THE ANXIETY LEVELS OF PATIENTS OF HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, OBESITY, CERVICAL SPONDYLITIS AND THOSE WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. THE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT A SHORT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT LEADS TO REMARKABLE REDUCTION IN THE ANXIETY SCORES WITHIN A PERIOD OF 10 DAYS. 2006 12 508 34 COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF A 12 WEEK YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION AND DIETARY INTERVENTION ON ADIPOKINES, INFLAMMATION, AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. THE PRESENT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL (RCT) EVALUATED THE COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF 12 WEEK YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION (YBLI) AND DIETARY INTERVENTION (DI) ALONE ON ADIPOKINES, INFLAMMATION, AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN INDIAN ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME (MET S). A PARALLEL, TWO ARM, RCT WAS CONDUCTED IN INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC), ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, INDIA FROM 2012 TO 2014. IHC IS AN OUTPATIENT FACILITY CONDUCTING YBLI PROGRAMS FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES. TWO HUNDRED SIXTY MEN AND WOMEN (20-45 YEARS) VISITING THE OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL WERE DIAGNOSED WITH MET S AND RANDOMIZED 1:1 TO RECEIVE 12 WEEK YBLI (N = 130) OR DI (N = 130). PRIMARY OUTCOMES WERE CHANGE IN PLASMA LEVELS OF ADIPOKINES (LEPTIN, ADIPONECTIN, AND LEPTIN:ADIPONECTIN RATIO), MARKERS OF INFLAMMATION (TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR [TNF]-ALPHA, INTERLEUKIN [IL]-6), MARKERS OF OXIDATIVE STRESS (THIOBARBITURIC ACID REACTIVE SUBSTANCES [TBARS], 8-HYDROXY-2'-DEOXYGUANOSINE [8-OHDG], AND SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE [SOD]) MEASURED AT BASELINE, 2 WEEKS, AND 12 WEEKS. YBLI GROUP SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN LEPTIN, LEPTIN:ADIPONECTIN RATIO, IL-6, 8-OHDG, AND TBARS LEVELS, WHEREAS THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN ADIPONECTIN AND SOD LEVELS. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE NOTICED IN DI ALONE GROUP. YBLI SHOWED SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER REDUCTION IN TBARS LEVELS THAN IN DI GROUP, SUGGESTIVE OF REDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS IN ADULTS WITH MET S. A 12 WEEK YBLI HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OXIDATIVE STRESS VERSUS DI ALONE IN ADULTS WITH MET S. 2019 13 959 38 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 14 674 30 EFFECT OF A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE SUBJECTS. OBJECTIVE: TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HRQOL) IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE PERSONS. DESIGN AND SETTING: NONRANDOMIZED, SINGLE-ARM INTERVENTIONAL STUDY CONDUCTED FROM AUGUST 2012 TO MARCH 2015 AT INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC, DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY, ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, NEW DELHI, INDIA. PARTICIPANTS: OVERWEIGHT (BODY-MASS INDEX [BMI], 23-24.9 KG/M(2)) AND OBESE (BMI, >/=25 KG/M(2)) PERSONS (N = 279) AGED 20-60 YEARS. INTERVENTION: PRETESTED YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION, INCLUDING ASANAS (POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, LECTURES, GROUP SUPPORT, NUTRITION AWARENESS PROGRAM, AND INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE. OUTCOME MEASURES: PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS HRQOL, MEASURED BY USING SHORT VERSION OF WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION QUALITY OF LIFE (WHOQOL-BREF) QUESTIONNAIRE. SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES WERE ANTHROPOMETRIC VARIABLES, SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, PULSE RATE, LIPID PROFILE, AND FASTING GLUCOSE. A SUBGROUP ANALYSIS ACCORDING TO SEX WAS ALSO PERFORMED. RESULTS: THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE AND HEALTH IMPROVED AFTER SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE PERSONS. PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DOMAIN SCORES SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED FROM BASELINE TO DAY 10, AND EFFICACY WAS NOTED IN BOTH MALE AND FEMALE SUBGROUPS. AFTER 10 DAYS OF INTERVENTION, THE FOLLOWING ALSO DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY: BODY WEIGHT, BMI, TOTAL BODY FAT, WAIST AND HIP CIRCUMFERENCE, WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO, SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, TRIGLYCERIDES, AND FASTING GLUCOSE. CONCLUSION: A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT ON HRQOL IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE PERSONS. 2016 15 1328 37 HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL INCREASES FOLLOWING A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION: A NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL MODULATION. OBJECTIVES: THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY WAS TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF A BRIEF BUT COMPREHENSIVE YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL (HDL-C). METHODS: THIS PROSPECTIVE INTERVENTIONAL STUDY WAS PERFORMED AT THE INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC), AN OUTPATIENT FACILITY AT ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, NEW DELHI, A TERTIARY HEALTH CARE CENTRE, CONDUCTING YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES. THE STUDY INCLUDED APPARENTLY HEALTHY NORMAL WEIGHT, OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE SUBJECTS WHO UNDERWENT A PRETESTED 10-DAY YOGA-BASED PROGRAMME INCLUDING ASANAS (POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), MEDITATION, GROUP DISCUSSIONS, LECTURES AND INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE ON STRESS MANAGEMENT AND HEALTHY DIET. THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS CHANGE IN SERUM HDL-C AT DAY 10 VERSUS DAY 0. RESULTS: 238 PARTICIPANTS (147 WOMEN, 91 MEN, 38.81+/-11.40 YEARS) WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HDL-C LEVELS FROM BASELINE TO DAY 10 (42.93+/-5.00 VS 43.52+/-5.07 MG/DL, P = 0.043). NOTABLY, HDL-C WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED IN THOSE FOR WHOM THE BASELINE HDL-C LEVELS WERE LOWER THAN THE RECOMMENDED VALUES. ALSO, THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN BLOOD PRESSURE, FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, AND IMPROVEMENT IN OTHER LIPID PROFILE VARIABLES. CONCLUSION: THIS YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED HDL-C LEVELS IN A SHORT DURATION OF 10 DAYS. THIS HAS ADDITIONAL CLINICAL RELEVANCE AS HDL-C IS SUGGESTED TO BE ONE OF THE STRONGEST STATISTICALLY INDEPENDENT PREDICTORS OF MAJOR CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS. 2014 16 2072 44 THE EFFECT OF A SIX-WEEK PROGRAM OF YOGA AND MEDITATION ON BRACHIAL ARTERY REACTIVITY: DO PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS AFFECT VASCULAR TONE? BACKGROUND: CHRONIC STRESS IS ESTIMATED TO INCREASE THE RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR (CV) EVENTS TWO-FOLD. ALTHOUGH STRESS REDUCTION HAS BEEN LINKED TO A REDUCTION IN CV EVENTS, LITTLE IS KNOWN REGARDING ITS EXACT MECHANISM OF BENEFIT. HYPOTHESIS: YOGA AND MEDITATION WILL IMPROVE PARAMETERS OF ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION. METHODS: WE EXAMINED THE EFFECTS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION ON HEMODYNAMIC AND LABORATORY PARAMETERS AS WELL AS ON ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION IN A 6-WEEK PILOT STUDY. SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES, HEART RATE, BODY MASS INDEX (BMI), FASTING GLUCOSE, LIPIDS, HS C-REACTIVE PROTEIN (CRP), AND ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION (AS ASSESSED BY BRACHIAL ARTERY REACTIVITY) WERE ALL STUDIED AT BASELINE AND AFTER 6 WEEKS OF YOGA PRACTICE. RESULTS: A COURSE IN YOGA AND MEDITATION WAS GIVEN TO THE SUBJECTS FOR 1.5 H THREE TIMES WEEKLY FOR 6 WEEKS AND SUBJECTS WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTINUE THEIR EFFORTS AT HOME. THIS PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY INCLUDED 33 SUBJECTS (MEAN AGE 55 +/- 11 YEARS) BOTH WITH (30%) AND WITHOUT (70%) ESTABLISHED CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD). THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART RATE, AND BMI IN THE TOTAL COHORT WITH YOGA. NONE OF THE LABORATORY PARAMETERS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH YOGA. FOR THE TOTAL COHORT THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN ENDOTHELIAL-DEPENDENT VASODILATATION WITH YOGA TRAINING AND MEDITATION COMPARED WITH BASELINE (16.7% RELATIVE IMPROVEMENT FROM 7.2-8.4%; P = 0.3). IN THE GROUP WITH CAD, ENDOTHELIAL-DEPENDENT VASODILATATION IMPROVED 69% WITH YOGA TRAINING (6.38-10.78%; P = 0.09). CONCLUSION: YOGA AND MEDITATION APPEAR TO IMPROVE ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION IN SUBJECTS WITH CAD. 2006 17 2616 43 YOGA FOR SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE. BACKGROUND: CORONARY HEART DISEASE (CHD) IS THE MAJOR CAUSE OF EARLY MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN MOST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. SECONDARY PREVENTION AIMS TO PREVENT REPEAT CARDIAC EVENTS AND DEATH IN PEOPLE WITH ESTABLISHED CHD. LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SECONDARY PREVENTION. YOGA HAS BEEN REGARDED AS A TYPE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AS WELL AS A STRESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. GROWING EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA ON VARIOUS AILMENTS. OBJECTIVES: TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA FOR THE SECONDARY PREVENTION OF MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY IN, AND ON THE HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE OF, INDIVIDUALS WITH CHD. SEARCH METHODS: THIS IS AN UPDATE OF A REVIEW PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN 2012. FOR THIS UPDATED REVIEW, WE SEARCHED THE COCHRANE CENTRAL REGISTER OF CONTROLLED TRIALS (CENTRAL) IN THE COCHRANE LIBRARY (ISSUE 1 OF 12, 2014), MEDLINE (1948 TO FEBRUARY WEEK 1 2014), EMBASE (1980 TO 2014 WEEK 6), WEB OF SCIENCE (THOMSON REUTERS, 1970 TO 12 FEBRUARY 2014), CHINA JOURNAL NET (1994 TO MAY 2014), WANFANG DATA (1990 TO MAY 2014), AND INDEX TO CHINESE PERIODICALS OF HONG KONG (HKINCHIP) (FROM 1980). ONGOING STUDIES WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE METAREGISTER OF CONTROLLED TRIALS (MAY 2014) AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION INTERNATIONAL CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRY PLATFORM (MAY 2014). WE APPLIED NO LANGUAGE RESTRICTIONS. SELECTION CRITERIA: WE PLANNED TO INCLUDE RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIALS (RCTS) INVESTIGATING THE INFLUENCE OF YOGA PRACTICE ON CHD OUTCOMES IN MEN AND WOMEN (AGED 18 YEARS AND OVER) WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF ACUTE OR CHRONIC CHD. STUDIES WERE ELIGIBLE FOR INCLUSION IF THEY HAD A FOLLOW-UP DURATION OF SIX MONTHS OR MORE. WE CONSIDERED STUDIES THAT COMPARED ONE GROUP PRACTICING A TYPE OF YOGA WITH A CONTROL GROUP RECEIVING EITHER NO INTERVENTION OR INTERVENTIONS OTHER THAN YOGA. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: TWO AUTHORS INDEPENDENTLY SELECTED STUDIES ACCORDING TO PRESPECIFIED INCLUSION CRITERIA. WE RESOLVED DISAGREEMENTS EITHER BY CONSENSUS OR BY DISCUSSION WITH A THIRD AUTHOR. MAIN RESULTS: WE FOUND NO ELIGIBLE RCTS THAT MET THE INCLUSION CRITERIA OF THE REVIEW AND THUS WE WERE UNABLE TO PERFORM A META-ANALYSIS. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA FOR SECONDARY PREVENTION IN CHD REMAINS UNCERTAIN. LARGE RCTS OF HIGH QUALITY ARE NEEDED. 2015 18 2416 31 YOGA AND MEDITATION IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. YOGA IS A HOLISTIC MIND-BODY INTERVENTION AIMED AT PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL WELL BEING. SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA AND/OR MEDITATION CAN CONTROL RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE LIKE HYPERTENSION, TYPE II DIABETES AND INSULIN RESISTANCE, OBESITY, LIPID PROFILE, PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS AND SMOKING. SOME RANDOMIZED STUDIES SUGGEST THAT YOGA/MEDITATION COULD RETARD OR EVEN REGRESS EARLY AND ADVANCED CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS. A RECENT STUDY SUGGESTS THAT TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION MAY BE EXTREMELY USEFUL IN SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND MAY REDUCE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS BY 48% OVER A 5-YEAR PERIOD. ANOTHER SMALL STUDY SUGGESTS THAT YOGA MAY BE HELPFUL IN PREVENTION OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION. HOWEVER, MOST STUDIES HAVE SEVERAL LIMITATIONS LIKE LACK OF ADEQUATE CONTROLS, SMALL SAMPLE SIZE, INCONSISTENCIES IN BASELINE AND DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES, ETC. AND THEREFORE LARGE TRIALS WITH IMPROVED METHODOLOGIES ARE REQUIRED TO CONFIRM THESE FINDINGS. HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE EXISTING KNOWLEDGE AND YOGA BEING A COST-EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS, IT APPEARS APPROPRIATE TO INCORPORATE YOGA/MEDITATION FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. 2014 19 1030 40 EFFECTS OF YOGA EXERCISE ON SERUM ADIPONECTIN AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN. OBJECTIVE: REGULAR AND CONTINUOUS YOGA EXERCISE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT NONPHARMACOLOGICAL METHODS OF IMPROVING SERUM LIPID CONCENTRATIONS, ADIPOSE TISSUE, AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO ANALYZE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA EXERCISE ON SERUM ADIPONECTIN AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL KOREAN WOMEN. METHODS: SIXTEEN HEALTHY POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN AGED 54.50 +/- 2.75 YEARS WITH MORE THAN 36% BODY FAT WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO EITHER A YOGA EXERCISE GROUP (N = 8) OR TO A "NO EXERCISE" CONTROL GROUP (N = 8). THE VARIABLES OF BODY COMPOSITION, VISCERAL FAT, SERUM ADIPONECTIN, AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS WERE MEASURED IN ALL THE PARTICIPANTS BEFORE AND AFTER THE 16-WEEK STUDY. RESULTS: BODY WEIGHT, PERCENTAGE OF BODY FAT, LEAN BODY MASS, BODY MASS INDEX, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, AND VISCERAL FAT AREA HAD SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED. HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL AND ADIPONECTIN HAD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED, BUT TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDE, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL, BLOOD PRESSURE, INSULIN, GLUCOSE, AND HOMOEOSTASIS MODEL ASSESSMENT-INSULIN RESISTANCE HAD SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED. SERUM ADIPONECTIN CONCENTRATIONS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY CORRELATED WITH WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL, DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, AND HOMOEOSTASIS MODEL ASSESSMENT-INSULIN RESISTANCE IN THE POSTYOGA EXERCISE GROUP. CONCLUSIONS: OUR FINDINGS INDICATE THAT YOGA EXERCISE IMPROVES ADIPONECTIN LEVEL, SERUM LIPIDS, AND METABOLIC SYNDROME RISK FACTORS IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN. CONSEQUENTLY, YOGA EXERCISE WILL BE EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE CAUSED BY OBESITY IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL KOREAN WOMEN. 2012 20 926 45 EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA LIFESTYLE ON LIPID METABOLISM IN A VULNERABLE POPULATION-A COMMUNITY BASED MULTICENTER RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: DYSLIPIDEMIA POSES A HIGH RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND STROKE IN TYPE 2 DIABETES (T2DM). THERE ARE NO STUDIES ON THE IMPACT OF A VALIDATED INTEGRATED YOGA LIFESTYLE PROTOCOL ON LIPID PROFILES IN A HIGH-RISK DIABETES POPULATION. METHODS: HERE, WE REPORT THE RESULTS OF LIPID PROFILE VALUES OF 11,254 (YOGA 5932 AND CONTROL 5322) ADULTS (20-70 YEARS) OF BOTH GENDERS WITH HIGH RISK (>/=60 ON INDIAN DIABETES RISK SCORE) FOR DIABETES FROM A NATIONWIDE RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITY-BASED TWO GROUP (YOGA AND CONVENTIONAL MANAGEMENT) CLUSTER RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. THE YOGA GROUP PRACTICED A VALIDATED INTEGRATED YOGA LIFESTYLE PROTOCOL (DYP) IN NINE DAY CAMPS FOLLOWED BY DAILY ONE-HOUR PRACTICE. BIOCHEMICAL PROFILING INCLUDED GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN AND LIPID PROFILES BEFORE AND AFTER THREE MONTHS. RESULTS: THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROUPS (P < 0.001 ANCOVA) WITH IMPROVED SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDES, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, AND HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN IN THE YOGA GROUP COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP. FURTHER, THE REGULATORY EFFECT OF YOGA WAS NOTED WITH A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE OR INCREASE IN THOSE WITH HIGH OR LOW VALUES OF LIPIDS, RESPECTIVELY, WITH MARGINAL OR NO CHANGE IN THOSE WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE. CONCLUSION: YOGA LIFESTYLE IMPROVES AND REGULATES (LOWERED IF HIGH, INCREASED IF LOW) THE BLOOD LIPID LEVELS IN BOTH GENDERS OF PREDIABETIC AND DIABETIC INDIVIDUALS IN BOTH RURAL AND URBAN INDIAN COMMUNITIES. 2021