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Research: MANOCHA and colleagues,
Listed in Issue 78
Abstract
MANOCHA and colleagues, Natural Therapies Unit, Royal Hospital for Women, New South Wales, Australia, evaluated Sahaja yoga as adjunctive treatment for asthma patients who continue to experience asthma symptoms despite taking moderate to high doses of inhaled corticosteroids .
Background
Sahaja yoga is a traditional system of meditation that can have therapeutic benefits.
Methodology
In this randomized, controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study, 59 adult asthma patients were assigned to a Sahaja yoga (n=30) or control (n=29) group. All subjects attended a 2-hour session once a week for 4 months . Study measurements, taken at the end of treatment and at a 2-month follow up, were: asthma-related quality of life (AQLQ; range 0-4); Profile of Mood States (POMS); airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine (AHR); and a self-reported (diary card-based) asthma score (CAS; range 0-12) combining symptoms, use of bronchodilators and peak expiratory flow (PEF) rates.
Results
20 subjects from the yoga group and 26 from the control group completed the end of treatment assessments. In the yoga group, improvement in the AHR at the end of treatment was 1.5 doubling doses greater than in the control group. Also in the yoga group, the AQLQ mood subscale score (difference 0.63) and the summary POMS score (difference 18.4) improved to a greater extent . However, differences in overall AQLQ score (0.41) and CAS (0.9) were not significant. No differences between the two groups could be detected at the 2-month follow-up assessment.
Conclusion
Sahaja yoga had some limited beneficial effects for asthma patients who had persisting symptoms despite inhaled steroid therapy . Further research would help uncover the mode of action of the observed effects and establish whether the intervention could prove clinically useful for patients with severe asthma .
References
Manocha R et al. Sahaja yoga in the management of moderate to severe asthma: a randomised controlled trial. Thorax 57 (2): 110-5. Feb 2002.
Comment
Research such as the above concerning yoga and breathing techniques are extremely importance, especially in light of the increasing asthma epidemic being experienced throughout much of the world.
