Preventive Effects of a Three-month Yoga Intervention on Endothelial Function in Patients with Migraine.
BACKGROUND
Migraine is a neurovascular disorder and any interventions improving endothelial function may contribute to its treatment and prevention of vascular complications like ischemic stroke. Yoga has been shown to have several beneficial effects on cardiovascular systems. However, no randomized controlled studies to date have investigated its effects on endothelial function of migraineurs.


METHODS
A total of 42 women patients with migraine were enrolled and randomized into either a Yoga exercise group or a control group. The control group received only medication for 12 weeks and the Yoga group was placed in yoga training program in addition to the same medical treatment. Blood test was given from all patients in order to measure plasma levels intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) after yoga training program.


RESULTS
Totally 32 patients were participated in the final analyses (yoga: n = 18, control: n = 14). By analyzing data between yoga and control groups after the treatment period, there was a significant decreased in plasma level of VCAM in yoga group compare with the control group (15.29 ± 2.1 ng/ml vs. 21.70 ± 3.0 ng/ml, P < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in ICAM level between groups (19.1 ± 1.8 ng/ml vs. 20.97 ± 1.9 ng/ml P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
It seems that yoga exercises, as a complementary treatment beside pharmacological treatments, can be potentially an effective way of improving vascular functions in migraineurs.
Department of Physiology, Applied Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Hajar
H
Naji-Esfahani
Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
Mahsa
M
Zamani
Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
Seyed Mohamad
SM
Marandi
Department of Neurology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Vahid
V
Shaygannejad
Department of Physiology, Applied Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Shaghayegh Haghjooy
SH
Javanmard
Asana; endothelial function; pranayama; yoga