Yoga's effect on inflammatory biomarkers and metabolic risk factors in a high risk population - a controlled trial in primary care.
BACKGROUND
Yoga can reduce blood pressure and has also been suggested to reduce inflammatory biomarkers and metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). We aimed to assess the benefit of two yoga interventions on inflammatory biomarkers and metabolic risk factors in a high risk population in primary care.


METHODS
Adult patients from a health care center in Sweden, with diagnosed hypertension, were invited to undergo a baseline check at the health care center. Baseline check included standardized blood pressure measurement, BMI and weight circumference measurements, blood sampling (hs-CRP, IL-6, FP-glucose, HbA1c, cholesterol, TG, LDL and HDL) and a questionnaire on self-rated quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF). There were three groups: 1) yoga class with yoga instructor; 2) yoga at home; and 3) a control group. In total, 83 patients were included and matched at the group level for systolic blood pressure. A majority of the patients (92 %) were on antihypertensive medication, which they were requested not to change during the study. After 12 weeks of intervention, the assessments were performed again.


RESULTS
We recorded no evidence that yoga altered inflammatory biomarkers or metabolic risk factors in our study population. A total of 49 participants (59 %) met the criteria for metabolic syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
The yoga interventions performed in our study did not affect inflammatory biomarkers or metabolic risk factors associated with CVD in the study population of primary care patients with hypertension. Further randomized trials are needed to elucidate the effects of yoga on CVD risk factors in this particular group.


BACKGROUND
NCT01302535 , February 22, 2011.
Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Lund University, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, Skåne University Hospital, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden. moa.wolff@med.lu.se.
Moa
M
Wolff
Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Lund University, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, Skåne University Hospital, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden. ashfaque.memon@med.lu.se.
Ashfaque A
AA
Memon
The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia. chalmers@georgeinstitute.org.au.|Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. chalmers@georgeinstitute.org.au.
John P
JP
Chalmers
Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Lund University, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, Skåne University Hospital, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden. kristina.sundquist@med.lu.se.|Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. kristina.sundquist@med.lu.se.
Kristina
K
Sundquist
Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Lund University, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, Skåne University Hospital, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden. patrik.midlov@med.lu.se.
Patrik
P
Midlöv
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D015013:Yoga
D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators