Scientists from the Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Disorders and All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India, recently published their findings from studying the benefits of yoga in pulmonary rehabilitation, as observed in biomarkers of inflammation. The researchers found that yoga was able to induce improvements in patients’ pulmonary function, exercise capacity, and indices of systemic inflammation comparable to traditional methods of pulmonary rehabilitation. Findings from this research could help improve patient outcomes for those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The study involved 60 patients with COPD. Participants were randomized into two cohorts: one that underwent yoga training, and another that engaged in traditional pulmonary rehabilitation programs. Baseline data on shortness of breath, serum inflammation, and lung function tests were collected. The groups participated in either yoga or pulmonary rehabilitation programs for one hour for the initial four weeks, followed by a reduction in frequency to every two weeks for eight weeks. The remainder of the study was conducted in the participants’ own homes.
The researchers noted that both methods led to similar improvements in patients’ pulmonary function, 6-minute walk distance, Borg scale, severity of dyspnea, quality of life, and levels of C-reactive protein upon completion of 12 weeks of training.
“This study suggests yoga may be a cost-effective form of rehabilitation that is more convenient for patients,” said Mark J. Rosen, MD, Master FCCP, CHEST Medical Director. “The authors recommended adoption of yoga programs as an option as part of long-term management of COPD. These findings should be confirmed in new studies and the potential mechanisms explored.”
A more detailed discussion of these findings will be held at the upcoming CHEST 2015 conference on Monday, October 26, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. at Palais des congrès de Montréal, room 513ef. Those interested in learning more about this study can view the abstract through the CHEST website.
This year’s CHEST conference will feature another presentation aimed at curtailing hospital readmissions associated with exacerbations caused by the disease. Recently, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced it will present new Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) findings for its Brovana® (arformoterol tartrate) Inhalation Solution for COPD at CHEST. The presentation will cover a pair of retrospective database analyses that compared rates of readmission in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who received treatment with nebulized arformoterol tartrate, compared to inhaled tiotropium or inhaled fluticasone/salmeterol.