Effect of Yoga as an Adjunctive Therapy on the Respiratory Function of COPD Patients with mild to Severe Grades of Severity in a Tertiary Care Centre in Kerala

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) being a major public health problem, pulmonaryrehabilitation along with pharmacotherapy can give betterresults while managing COPD. Almost no studies have beendone to assess the relationship between effect of yoga as anadjunctive therapy on respiratory function in COPD patientsespecially in south India. This study was an attempt to knowthe effect of selected Yogic practices on improving respiratoryfunction.Material and methods: A total of 30 cases of mild, moderateand severe grades of COPD defined as per Global Initiative forobstructive lung disease (GOLD) guidelines were recruitedin this study. The sample size was taken as 30. All selectedsubjects were assessed for spirometric evaluation, Maximuminspiratory pressure MIP (or PImax) and Maximal expiratorypressure MEP (or PEmax). Patients were taught selected yogaexercises for 1 hour, thrice a week for one month by a certifiedyoga therapist. Thereafter, patients were asked to practice athome in the morning for two months.Statistical analysis was performed using a statistical softwarepackage SPSS version 20.0. Comparison of pre-yoga andpost-yoga assessment of respiratory function at the end of eachmonth for two months was done. Continuous variables wereexpressed as Mean±SD. Effect of yoga on selected parametersat different interval of time were assessed by paired t test.P<0.05 was taken to be statistically significant.Results: FEV1%, PEFR, FVC, FEV1/FVC, showed anincreasing trend over time from pre-yoga to 1 month and preyoga to 2 month, among which FEV1% and FEV1/FVC wasstatistically significant at p <0.05. Likewise, variables PEFRalso showed a significant increase from pre- yoga to end of2nd month (p<0.05).Conclusion: yoga practices is suggestive of improvingrespiratory function in COPD patients when used adjunctivelywith standard pharmacological treatment.