CLINICAL RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
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FRIDAY, 10:15-11:00 AM
Hecht FM, Uma SD, Rao R, Shruddha KS, Nagendra HR,
Acree M, Burke A, Sangamitra I, Nagarathna R.
A randomized, controlled trial of yoga in HIV.
UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine rhecht@php.ucsf.edu
PURPOSE: Stress and depression in HIV and are
associated with more rapid disease progression. Recent research shows
that greater positive affect is strongly associated with better survival,
independent of negative affect. We performed a randomized, controlled
trial to test whether a yoga intervention in HIV was associated with
improved psychological outcomes and less loss of CD4+ T-cells.
METHODS: HIV+ subjects in Bangalore, India,
who were not on antiretroviral therapy were randomized to a yoga intervention
or a wait-list control group for 3 months. The intervention consisted
of yoga classes for 1 hour per day 3 days per week together with home
practice, and included warm up exercises, asanas (postures with awareness),
pranayama (regulated voluntary nostril breathing), and meditation. Laboratory
and psychological measures were performed at baseline and 3 months.
RESULTS: Of 600 individuals screened, 110 persons
met selection criteria and 70 agreed to participate in the study; 36
were randomized to the yoga group and 34 to the wait list control group.
Follow-up results are available for 23 yoga subjects who have completed
3 month follow-up, and 25 control subjects.
| |
Mean Change Post —Pre (SD) |
Mean Group Difference (95% CI) |
Improvement Indicated
|
P-Value 0.2 |
| Variable |
Control n=25 |
Yoga n=23 |
(Yoga—Control) |
| HIV viral load (log10) |
0.1 (0.4) |
-0.02 (0.5) |
-0.12 (-0.43 , 0.19) |
Decrease |
0.4 |
| CD4 T-cell count (cells/mm3) |
-28 (138) |
8 (94) |
35.9 (-33.4 , 105.3) |
Increase |
0.3 |
| Hospital Anxiety Dep. Scale- Depression
subscale |
-0.3 (3.7) |
-1.9* (3.5) |
-1.6 (-3.8 , 0.5) |
Decrease |
0.1 |
| Positive Affect-Negative Affect Schedule
(PANAS)-Positive |
0.8 (7.5) |
7.9* (10.6) |
7.08 (1.8, 12.35) |
Increase |
0.01 |
| PANAS-Negative |
-2.6 (12) |
-5.6* (11) |
-2.94 (-9.80, 3.91) |
Decrease |
0.4 |
| Perceived Stress Scale |
0.08 (7.3) |
-2.2 (5.9) |
-2.33 (-6.18, 1.52) |
Decrease |
0.2 |
* P < 0.05 for differences between pre and post-intervention
CONCLUSIONS: There were improvements in all
the psychological measures in the yoga group compared to the control
group, although only increases in positive affect were statistically
significant. The differences in CD4+ T-cell count loss were not statistically
significant; however if the observed differences are found to be sustained
over a longer period of time, they could translate into months of difference
in time to disease progression.
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