ABSTRACT
Background: We tested if tele-yoga intervention could aid in better clinical management for hospitalized patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 when complemented with the standard of care. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial conducted at the Narayana Hrudalaya, Bengaluru, India on hospitalized patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 infection, enrolled between May 31st and July 22, 2021. Patients (n=225) were randomized in 1:1 ratio [adjunct tele-yoga (n = 113), or standard of care (n = 112)]. Adjunct yoga group received intervention in tele-mode within 4 hours post-randomization until 14 days along with the standard of care. The primary outcome was clinical status at 14th-day post-randomization assessed with a 7-category ordinal scale. The trial included 11 secondary outcomes, including 28-day mortality. Results: As compared with standard of care alone, the proportional odds of having a higher score on the seven-point ordinal scale at day 14 was ~1.9 for the adjunct tele-yoga group (95% CI, 1.18-3.18). CRP and LDH levels were comparatively reduced in the adjunct tele-yoga group 5th day post-randomization. CRP reduction was also observed as a potential mediator for the improvement of clinical outcomes in the adjunct tele-yoga group. There were no significant differences between the treatment groups concerning the duration of hospitalization, all-cause mortality at day 28; log-rank P = 0.144, and other outcomes. Conclusion: The observed clinically relevant outcomes in COVID-19 patients at day 14 contest the use of tele-yoga as a complementary treatment in hospital settings.